Drew Dixon
Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit Florida so hard that thousands of workers lost their jobs, and now the state is seeking to help the unemployed impacted by the storms.
FloridaCommerce officials announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is now available for many counties in the state that were impacted by Helene.
“Eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of (hurricanes) are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org,” a FloridaCommerce news release said.
After Hurricane Helene struck the Big Bend area on Sept. 26, followed by Hurricane Milton plowing into the west coast on Oct. 9, thousands of Floridians filed for unemployment benefits.
Both storms had major economic impacts, as new unemployment filings spiked in the weeks following both storms, according to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) figures.
When residents file for unemployment benefits, usually there are several stipulations that jobless applicants need to follow. But FloridaCommerce officials said those rules will be removed for those impacted by the storms.
“Additionally, work search reporting, waiting week, and Employ Florida registration requirements for Reemployment Assistance claims have been temporarily waived for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Florida Emergency Management Agency disaster-declared counties. By waiving these requirements, eligible Floridians will be able to quickly apply and receive Reemployment Assistance and Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits,” the news release said.
While Tuesday’s announcement from the state mentioned only those made jobless by Hurricane Helene, it’s almost certain that the same measures will be offered to Hurricane Milton victims within weeks, as the same offer was extended to those made jobless by Hurricane Debby in early August.
The Florida counties eligible for the DUA unemployment assistance include Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, DeSoto, Duval, Franklin, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Suwanee, Taylor, Union and Wakulla.
The DUA assistance is available from Sept. 29 through March 29, 2025.
