FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rachel Dumeny
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Office of the Commissioner
Vermont Department of Labor
(802) 272-4509
Rachel.Dumeny@vermont.gov
Vermont Department of Labor Begins Issuing Disaster Unemployment Payments
Montpelier, Vt. – The Vermont Department of Labor began issuing Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) payments to eligible individuals on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
As of Thursday, September 7, 128 DUA applications had been filed, and payments were being processed for individuals who had submitted the required program documentation and certified with the Department that their employment had been impacted due to the July flooding, as required by federal regulation.
The Department is currently contacting claimants by phone to process weekly DUA claims, and claimants are being urged to provide necessary documentation and return phone messages as quickly as possible to expedite benefit payments.
Individuals who have had their employment temporarily or permanently impacted by the July flooding and have not yet filed a claim for benefits are still encouraged to file for unemployment benefits by the September 29, 2023, deadline. After that date, DUA applications will no longer be accepted per federal program requirements. To submit a claim, contact the Vermont Unemployment Insurance Claimant Assistance Center at (877) 214-3330.
All individuals seeking disaster related benefits must first file for regular unemployment. If they are deemed ineligible for regular unemployment, the Department of Labor will contact them directly to file a DUA claim. Individuals filing for DUA may be required to provide proof of employment at the time of the disaster and proof of income for the 2022 tax year depending on their type of employment.
Once a weekly claim, or certification, is approved by the Department, a payment file is issued to the bank, and funds are deposited into the claimant’s identified account within 1-2 business days.
For general assistance regarding an existing DUA claim, claimants can contact the Department of Labor by phone at (877) 214-3332, option 1, or by email at Labor.DisasterUnemployment@vermont.gov.
For more information about DUA, visit our website www.labor.vermont.gov/dua.
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