Deadline Approaching to Apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Catherine A. Hendry, Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor (VIDOL) would like to remind all residents of the upcoming deadline of Friday, December 29, 2017, in which to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). The DUA program provides unemployment insurance assistance to individuals who have become unemployed as a result of Hurricane Irma on September 6, or Hurricane Maria on September 19-20.

DUA is available to Virgin Islands residents and businesses whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

The DUA is available to individuals as follows:

  • You are unemployed due to the disaster and do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits; OR
  • You are unemployed due to the disaster and do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits; OR
  • You are self-employed or a small business owner who lost income due to the disaster; OR
  • You are prevented from working due to an injury caused by the disaster; OR
  • You have become the sole supporter of the household due to the disaster-related death or injury of another family member; OR
  • You are unable to reach your job or self-employment location because you must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster; OR
  • You were to commence employment or self-employment but were prevented by the disaster; AND
  • You have not refused an offer of employment in a suitable position.

Individuals are encouraged to visit the VIDOL office in their respective district to complete an application(s) for DUA. On St. Thomas and St. Croix, VIDOL has resumed normal business hours, Monday thru Friday from 8am to 5 pm. Residents of St. John can meet with representatives of the VIDOL at the Legislature Building on St. John, Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm.

When filing your completed application(s), please present a copy of your most recent business license or evidence of operations, and/or employment proof (i.e. an IRB stamped receipt copy of your 2016 tax return, social security card, a valid Government issued picture identification card, bank statements, and documentation) to support the claim that you were working or self-employed when the disaster(s) occurred.

Individuals who are missing documentation to complete their application, please note you have ninety days from the date of your application to submit the missing documentation(s).

Once all applications and forms have been completed and approved, benefit checks will be sent in the mail. No DUA applications will be accepted after the disaster assistance period ends on December 29th, 2017.

For details on DUA and the services VIDOL offers please visit www.vidol.gov.