FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2022) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that the state is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for Lee County, which was affected by July’s historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky.
Following Gov. Beshear’s request, President Joe Biden issued a
Major Disaster Declaration on July 29, 2022, and an amendment on Sept. 2 designated Lee County for individual assistance, making the county eligible for DUA.
Affected individuals should visit the Kentucky Career Center website,
kcc.ky.gov, or call 502.875.0442 to file their initial claim. The deadline to apply for assistance is Oct. 10.
Qualifying for DUA
In order to qualify for DUA benefits, claimants in eligible counties must show that their employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of the flooding that began July 26 and that they are not otherwise eligible for regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under state or federal law.
DUA is available to individuals who:
• Worked or were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment;
• Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster, which can also include the physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state or local government in immediate response to the disaster;
• Establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income;
• Do not qualify for regular UI benefits from any state;
• Cannot work or resume self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or
• As a result of the disaster, became the major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household.
Farmers and other self-employed individuals who are traditionally ineligible for UI benefits may qualify for DUA.
Updated information will be communicated on the Kentucky Career Center website and future press releases. Unemployment assistance is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and benefits are not charged to employers.
Documentation Needed
To receive DUA benefits, the federal program requires individuals to provide documents, including a copy of their most recent federal or state income tax forms or check stubs, a bill showing their physical address at the time of the disaster and a photo ID.
The administration understands many claimants may not have these documents and is working to help individuals obtain new documents. Gov. Beshear previously announced that his administration is allowing flood victims in 13 Eastern Kentucky counties to replace lost driver’s licenses and other essential documents at no cost.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is also deploying driver licensing staff to take the full range of licensing services to flood-impacted areas. To find a location visit the
Governor's flood resources website. All required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed.
The total number of counties eligible for Individual Assistance now stands at 13. Residents in Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Whitley counties were previously approved for DUA. For information on those announcements click
here and
here.
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