Self-Employed Are Eligible for Unemployment Aid

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity says Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available for Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Ian.

Floridians who live in designated-disaster areas – 17 Florida counties – must file DUA applications by Dec. 30, 2022. Applications after that date will be “considered untimely” and benefits will be denied unless that applicant “provides good cause.”

Eligible Florida counties

• Charlotte
• Collier
• DeSoto
• Flagler
• Hardee
• Hillsborough
• Lee
• Manatee
• Orange
• Osceola
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Putnam
• Sarasota
• Seminole
• St. Johns
• Volusia

DUA may cover unemployment from Sept. 25, 2022, until April 1, 2023, providing that unemployment continues to be a direct result of Hurricane Ian. Anyone currently receiving state Reemployment Assistance is not be eligible for DUA.

If you need assistance with applying for DUA, call 1-800-385-3920. DUA Customer Service Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. EST.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is a federally funded benefit program that assists individuals who become unemployed because of a disaster.

Who qualifies for DUA? Individuals who:

• Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment
• Cannot work or perform services because of physical damage of destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster
• Can establish that the work they can no longer perform was their principal source of income
• Do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits from any state
• Cannot perform work due to an injury that was a direct result of Hurricane Ian
• Became the breadwinner or major supporter of a household because the former breadwinner’s death occurred as a result of Hurricane Ian

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