AUSTIN, Texas — Workers in several East Texas counties who have been unable to work because of severe storms this past spring are eligible to apply for disaster unemployment assistance.
The Texas Workforce Commission is accepting applications for people to receive disaster unemployment assistance in connection with spring storms that involved straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding starting on April 26.
The deadline to apply is July 16. People can file their application online through Unemployment Benefit Services or by calling TWC at (800) 939-6631 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The following East Texas counties are where residents can apply for disaster unemployment assistance:
- Anderson
- Henderson
- Jasper
- Nacogdoches
- Panola
- Polk
- Rusk
- Sabine
- Smith
- Trinity
- Tyler
- Van Zandt
Proof of employment can be submitted through TWC’s online UI Submission Portal. People can select DUA Proof of Employment at Time of Disaster from the Type of Submission drop-down menu. Those who cannot use the online portal can submit the proof via fax or mail:
Texas Workforce Commission
Attn: DUA Proof
P.O. Box 149137
Austin, TX 78714-9137
Fax: (512) 322-2867
To receive benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. Those documents include Social Security number and documentation to support that the person was working or self-employed when the disaster occurred or they were about to start work or self-employment and could not because of the disaster.
According to the TWC, this type of unemployment assistance is available for the following people who:
- Have applied for and used all regular unemployment benefits, or do not qualify for unemployment benefits;
- Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment in the disaster area;
- 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;
- Establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income;
- Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster;
- Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of household; or
- Were unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster.
For anyone who does not send TWC proof of employment by the 21-day deadline, the commission will halt DUA payments and the person will be responsible for repaying any benefits they received.