OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – As a result of recent storms, winds and tornadoes, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), which is an unemployment insurance benefit made available for victims of a disaster. DUA may be available to workers in Pottawatomie and McClain counties who lost their jobs or are unable to work due to the severe weather on April 19-20.
To be considered eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, individuals must meet at least one of the criteria outlined below.
Individuals eligible for DUA will be considered unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster if the unemployment resulted from: The physical damage or destruction of the place of employment; The physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster; or Lack of work, or loss of revenues, if, prior to the disaster, the employer or self-employed business received at least a majority of its revenue or income from an entity in the major disaster area that was damaged or destroyed in the disaster or an entity in the major disaster area closed by the federal, state, or local government.
In addition to those who lost their jobs directly due to the disaster, individuals eligible for DUA may also include: Individuals who are unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster; Individuals who were to commence employment or self-employment but were prevented by the disaster; Individuals who have become the main source of income for the household and are in need of employment because of the death of the head of household due to the disaster; or Individuals who cannot work or perform services in self-employment because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster.
Self-employed individuals may be eligible for benefits if they lost all or part of their livelihood and means of work. Selfemployed workers must provide their federal income tax forms.
All individuals must file an unemployment insurance claim at https://oklahoma. gov/ oesc/ individuals. For more information or questions, individuals can call the Unemployment Service Center at 405-525-1500 or visit one of OESC’s field offices. A list and map of all field offices can be found at https://oklahoma.gov/oes c/locations.