For Immediate Release:     July 20 , 2007

Contact: Beth Martino   785.296.0901

Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available in 14 Additional Counties

TOPEKA - Jim Garner, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor has announced that Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available for workers affected by severe storms and flooding in Anderson, Bourbon, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Franklin, Greenwood, McPherson, Osage, Pottawatomie, Smith and Woodson counties. Assistance is available to qualifying residents of these counties pursuant to the President's recent declaration of these counties as a federal disaster area. All workers are encouraged to apply for regular unemployment benefits. DUA benefits are already available for workers affected by the severe weather in several counties.

Workers have 30 days from the announcement of DUA benefits to file applications. Deadlines for counties currently eligible for DUA are as follows:

• Elk, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, and Wilson Counties - August 10
• Allen, Cowley, Labette, and Linn counties - August 16
• Crawford, Greenwood, Anderson, Bourbon, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey,
• Franklin, McPherson, Osage, Pottawatomie, Smith and Woodson counties - August 20

Applications for DUA and regular unemployment insurance benefits can be filed with a Department of Labor staff person at Community Elementary School, at 102 S. Cline, in Coffeyville. More information about unemployment insurance is available at the Community Elementary School Disaster Center, by calling 1-800-292-6333, or online at www.uibenefits.dol.ks.gov. Other disaster center locations have packets with unemployment insurance and DUA information. These centers are located at:

• Osawatomie High School Auditorium (Miami County), 1200 Trojan Drive
• 120 N. 6th St. Independence (Montgomery County)
• Neodesha City Hall, 1407 N. 8th St. (Wilson County)
• Elk County Courthouse Parking Lot, 100 N. Pine St., Howard
• Erie High School, 410 W. 3rd St., Erie (Neosho County)

The DUA program may provide unemployment benefits for workers that may not be covered under the regular unemployment insurance program. Self-employed individuals who were living or working in the affected areas at the time of the major disaster and who are unemployed as a result of the major disaster may be eligible for DUA. Other who may qualify include farm workers and individuals who are unable to work because of injury resulting from the disaster; those whose workplace is or was inaccessible, closed or destroyed because of the disaster; those who were required to evacuate to a location which made their workplace inaccessible and those individuals who have become the major source of financial support for a household because the head of the household died as a result of the disaster. Workers who qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits are not eligible for DUA benefits.

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