Columbia, S.C. – The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is Wednesday, December 28, 2022.

The DUA program makes funds available to assist people who became unemployed as a direct result of Hurricane Ian, which occurred on September 25, 2022. It is also available to small business owners and the self-employed, including 1099 contract workers, who have lost personal income due to the disaster.

If you live in Charleston, Georgetown, or Horry county and lost work or were unemployed as a direct result of Hurricane Ian, then please go to the MyBenefits Portal in order to apply for DUA. You can also visit dew.sc.gov and click the MyBenefits Login in the first circle of the homepage to apply through the unemployment insurance benefits system. For help, please call 1-866-831-1724.

“Yet again, our agency was able to respond quickly when emergency benefits were needed,” said Executive Director Dan Ellzey. “As soon the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) identified individuals living in Charleston, Georgetown, and Horry counties as potentially eligible for DUA funds, our agency was ready with the link and the application. Our agency has just received the money from FEMA in order to pay any eligible claimants, and we are processing those claims now.”

Please note that any DUA applications filed after the deadline will be considered untimely and benefits may be denied. Applicants will be asked to submit information about their employment and other documentation to support the claim that they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred.

Workers or business owners in the eligible counties who meet the following criteria may be eligible to receive a minimum of $134.00 and up to a maximum of $326.00 per week in DUA benefits:

• Individuals who are unemployed due to the disaster, and do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
• Self-employed individuals and small business owners who lost income due to the disaster.
• Individuals who were prevented from working due to an injury caused by the disaster.
• Individuals who have become the major supplier of household income due to the disaster-related death or injury of the previous major supplier of household income.
• Individuals who are unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster.
• Individuals who were to commence employment or self-employment but were prevented by the disaster.