Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

The State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) announced today that the major disaster declaration (FEMA-DR-4366) made by President Donald Trump on May 11, 2018 due to damages resulting from the ongoing Kilauea volcanic eruption and earthquakes that began on May 3, 2018 includes the Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program for the County of Hawaii.  Individuals who were living or working in the affected area at the time of the major disaster and unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster and do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance may be eligible for DUA benefits beginning the week of May 6, 2018 until the week ending November 10, 2018, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a result of the disaster.  Regular unemployment insurance and DUA benefits cannot be paid concurrently.

Others who may also be eligible for DUA include:

(1)  individuals who are prevented from reaching their job or self-employment location due to the disaster;

(2)  individuals who were to start employment or self-employment but were prevented by the disaster;

(3)  individuals who became the major support of a household because of the death of the head of household due to the disaster; or

(4)  individuals who cannot perform services in employment or self-employment due to an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster.

Unemployment is a direct result of the major disaster if there is:

(1)  physical damage or destruction to the place of employment;

(2)  physical inaccessibility to the place of employment due to a government closure in immediate response to the disaster; or

(3)  lack of work or loss of revenues to the employer or self-employed business caused indirectly by a major revenue generating entity that was damaged or destroyed in the disaster or located in the disaster area closed by the government.

All individuals who believe they qualify for DUA should apply as soon as possible.  The deadline for filing DUA is 30 days after the date of this announcement; therefore, DUA applications must be submitted no later than July 23, 2018.  Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered untimely and DUA benefits may be denied unless the individual provides good cause for late filing.

Workers unemployed due to the disaster may apply for regular unemployment insurance benefits by filing online at uiclaims.hawaii.gov .

Self-employed persons and those not qualifying for regular unemployment insurance benefits who cannot perform services due to the disaster must apply in-person for DUA benefits.

Please be ready to present the following:  your Social Security number and a copy of the most recent federal income tax form and check stubs or documentation to support that you were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred.  Such documentation for the self-employed can be obtained from banks or government entities or affidavits from individuals having knowledge of their businesses.

Please contact the Hilo Claims Office at 974-4086 for more information or visit the Disaster Recovery Center currently located at the Keaau School Gym, 16-725 Keaau-Pahoa Road, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

For more detailed information regarding eligibility for DUA benefits, go to the DLIR website at https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/assistance-programs/ or contact the Hilo Claims Office, Kinoole Plaza, 1990 Kinoole Street, Suite 101, Hilo, HI 96720-5293, ph: 974-4086.

Re-employment services may be obtained at the nearest One-Stop Center:
American Job Center Hawaii-Hilo, 427 Kilauea Avenue Hilo, HI 96720, Ph: 935-6527