Some Kentuckians hit by storms in the spring eligible for unemployment

WUKY | By Karyn Czar

Published June 13, 2024 at 3:25 PM EDT

A large tree with several broken limbs lying in the yard of a fourplex rental.

Governor Andy Beshear announced that you can apply for DUA, which is disaster unemployment assistance if you lost work because of the April 2nd storms. Beshear said if you are self-employed, you may still quality. Karyn Czar has details.

“Individuals must have been living or working in the affected areas again, those areas in those eleven counties, and they must have become unemployed or had their work interrupted as a direct result of the April 2nd, 2024 storms.” Beshear added that, “Our administration has also filed an executive order to temporarily waive work search requirements. For these individuals, just to give you enough time to get back on your feet.”

In our listening area, people living in Fayette and Jefferson County are two of the 11 qualifying counties. Along with showing that you lost work, you cannot be eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits under state or federal law.

Farmers and other self-employed individuals who traditionally are ineligible for unemployment insurance benefits may also be able to receive benefits.

Disaster unemployment is available for the weeks of April 7, 2024, through November 23, 2024.
To file a claim visit the Kentucky Career Center website at kcc.ky.gov or call 502-875-0442 to file their initial claim. The deadline to apply for assistance is Aug. 12, 2024.