Human Resource Blog

DUA and Laid-Off Employee in Mississippi

We have had contact with a recent employee that we laid off in Mississippi. The employee had been receiving unemployment insurance. Recently, our company lost our office space in a flood and our workers are receiving DUA financial assistance. This laid-off employee wants to know if she qualifies for DUA assistance too. Does she?

No. The Disaster Unemployment Assistance program is a federal program that is in place to provide financial assistance to current employees and employees that have lost their jobs as a direct result of a disaster, such as a flood, fire, or storm. The program does not provide financial assistance to former employees that are receiving unemployment insurance from any state across the country, including Mississippi. However, if the employee had been currently employed at the time of the disaster or if the employee had a contract that was scheduled to begin again, the employee may have qualified for DUA help.

The DUA program is administered by the federal government. In order for employers and employees to receive financial assistance through the program, the disaster needs to be declared a federal disaster by the President of the United States. Often, natural disasters are the qualifying events that open up funding for DUA help. However, other types of disasters may qualify as well.

In order for employees to receive financial assistance through the program, the employee must not already be receiving unemployment insurance compensation. Employees could receive up to 29 months of assistance if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

·         The employees should have been employed at the time of the disaster with the expectation that the employment would have continued had it not been for the disaster.

·         The employees could also receive financial assistance if they had a contract to begin work, but had not yet started their first day of work because of the disaster.

·         The employees should be unable to work as a direct result of the disaster. For example, the employees need to have been injured in the disaster and unable to work as a result of the injuries. Alternatively, if the place of work has been damaged or destroyed and the employees have not place to go to work, the employees may be able to receive compensation. CB