Human Resource Blog

DUA Assistance for New Hires in Virginia

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We have a situation in which our company was flooded in Richmond, Virginia and we had to shut down operations until the building was cleaned out. We understand that all of our current employees are able to receive financial assistance from the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program, but what about the new hires if they have not yet come on board with the company? Do they receive any kind of aid?

The Disaster Unemployment Assistance Act may help to provide financial assistance to workers that had a contract that was schedule to begin, even if they had not begun work yet. However, in order for the individuals to receive DUA aid, they need to have had a contract in the first place and be unable to work as a direct result of the disaster.

The DUA program is a federal program that is in place for all states across the country. Thus, employers and employees in Virginia may be able to receive benefits. However, in order for those employees (and would-be) employees to receive benefits, there are certain criteria that must be met.

First, the disaster needs to have been declared a federal disaster by the President of the United States. If the flood was declared to be a federal disaster, then your current employees and would-be employees meet the first criteria for coverage.

Next, those employees should be out of work as a direct result of the disaster. In some cases, employees or would-be employees are unable to work because they were injured in the disaster. In order cases, such as this case, employees are unable to work because the workplace was damaged or destroyed in the disaster.

Employees and would-be employees that wish to receive coverage cannot also be receiving unemployment insurance benefits in Virginia or in any state.

The DUA program will come into play for a variety of types of disasters, including floods. Employees and would-be employees should have every reason to believe that they employment would have continued if it had not been for the disaster.

As long as the employees and would-be employees meet these criteria, they may be eligible to receive up to 29 months of federal financial assistance.

In addition to employees and would-be employees, individual may receive DUA assistance if they have become the head of a household as the direct result of the death of the former head of the household in the disaster. CB