Disaster Unemployment Assistance now extended to workers impacted by winter storms in Santa Clara County

NR No. 23-23
Contact: Loree Levy/Aubrey Henry
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov

The One-Week Waiting Period is waived for regular unemployment claims impacted by the Atmospheric River events

SACRAMENTO – Individuals in Santa Clara County who have been impacted by the severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that started on December 27, 2022, are now eligible to file for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits, joining workers in 14 previously-announced California counties.

The California Employment Development Department (EDD) administers these benefits, which are available to workers, business owners, and self-employed individuals who lost their jobs or businesses, or had their work hours reduced due to impacts brought about by the severe storms.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has determined that individuals who lost work or self-employment as a direct result of impacts caused by ongoing severe storms in the identified counties are now eligible to apply for federal DUA benefits. The FEMA approval is for FEMA designated disaster area 4683-DR.

EDD is required to first check to see if the applicant is eligible for regular state provided Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits before processing the claim for DUA benefits. For those who do qualify for regular UI benefits, the usual one-week waiting period has been waived for those impacted by the Atmospheric River events. The new waiver dates back to December 24, 2022 for those who previously for benefits. For those who were approved for a regular UI claim before the approval on the waiver, the EDD will issue payment for the one-week waiting period previously served. A waiting week is already not required on DUA claims.

DUA applies to losses beginning the week of January 1, 2023 for claimants impacted by the storms. Eligible full-time workers can receive between $166 and $450 a week in benefits for a maximum period of 28 weeks. Part-time workers may also be eligible for benefits. The last payable week of this emergency benefit ends July 15, 2023.

DUA benefits are offered to victims of a federally-declared disaster and are available to individuals who meet any of the following criteria:

• Worked or were a business owner or self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment, in the disaster area. This includes, and is not limited to, those in the agricultural and fishing industries.
• Cannot reach work because of the disaster or can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster.
• Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster.
• Became the head of their household because of a death caused by the disaster.

Individuals must have applied for and used all regular unemployment benefits, or do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits and remain unemployed as a direct result of the disaster. Also, the work or self-employment they can no longer perform must have been their primary source of income.

Applications filed by individuals in Santa Clara County for DUA benefits must be filed by June 30, unless the individual has good cause to file a late application. Claimants in Amador County should have filed by March 29, 2023. Claimants in Alameda, Contra Costa, Mendocino, and Ventura counties needed to file by March 9, 2023. Individuals filing claims from San Mateo County had to file by March 2, 2023. Claimants in Calaveras County needed to file by February 27, 2023, and individuals who file claims from Sacramento, Merced, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and San Joaquin counties should have filed their DUA applications by February 22, 2023.

In addition, to receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. Required documentation includes the most recent federal income tax form or check stubs, or other documentation to support that the individuals were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred.

Documentation for the self-employed can be obtained from banks, government entities, or affidavits from individuals having knowledge of their business.                                                  

The fastest and easiest way for new claimants to apply for DUA is to use EDD’s UI Online application, which is available in both English and Spanish. Applicants can also get assistance at local job centers and Local Assistance Centers or Disaster Recovery Centers.

In addition, claimants can apply for DUA by phone between 8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays:

• English: 1-800-300-5616
• Spanish: 1-800-326-8937
• Armenian: 1-855-528-1518
• Chinese (Cantonese): 1-800-547-3506
• Chinese (Mandarin): 1-866-303-0706
• Korean: 1-844-660-0877
• Tagalog: 1-866-395-1513
• Vietnamese: 1-800-547-2058

EDD’s Disaster-Related Services webpage includes more information for individuals and businesses impacted by disasters, including tax filing extensions for affected employers. EDD also encourages individuals to visit the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website for the latest information on Local Assistance Centers where individuals, families and businesses can access disaster assistance programs and services.

The EDD administers the federal disaster-benefits program in California for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.