The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) announced that individuals who lost their jobs, job offers, or businesses due to severe weather can now apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is an unemployment insurance benefit specifically for victims of disasters like severe storms and tornadoes.

DUA is available to those affected by the recent severe weather events in several Oklahoma counties, including Carter, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Washington, and Washita. President Joseph Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Oklahoma in April 2024, opening doors for OESC to provide temporary financial relief to those whose employment has been impacted by the disaster.

Eligibility for DUA requires that the individual’s unemployment resulted from the physical damage or destruction of their place of employment, physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to governmental closure following the disaster, or loss of work or revenues due to damage or destruction of an entity that they relied upon for income.

Potential recipients of DUA include those prevented from reaching their job location due to the disaster, those planning to commence employment but were hindered by the disaster, individuals who have become the primary breadwinner due to the death of the head of the household from the disaster, and those who cannot work due to an injury directly caused by the disaster.

To apply for DUA, individuals must file an unemployment insurance claim online at oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals or call the Unemployment Service Center at 405-525-1500. Information for reemployment services can be found either on OESC’s website or at any field office. The deadline for DUA claim submission is July 1, 2024.

To receive DUA, all necessary documentation, such as a social security number, proof of earnings, current check stub, and proof of employment, must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application is filed. DUA is made available under Presidential Disaster Declaration #4776.

For additional queries about Oklahoma’s Disaster Unemployment Assistance, unemployment services, or how to contact OESC, you can visit eddcaller.com. This platform provides comprehensive guidance on contacting employment and disaster relief services, facilitating a smooth process in an otherwise stressful time.