People who lost work or were unable to go to work because of the March tornadoes that affected Pike and Walthall counties could be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Mississippi Department of Employment Security officials said Thursday that Disaster Unemployment Assistance has been available in 11 counties, including Pike and Walthall, following the May 21 federal disaster declaration.
The other approved counties are Covington, Grenada, Issaquena, Itawamba, Jefferson Davis, Leflore, Marion, Montgomery and Smith.
The assistance is for people who live or work in the affected counties and could not work because of the damage from the storms, which struck March 14 and 15.
This applies to people who either lost jobs, including self-employed residents, or people who could not get to work because of the storms.
The help is for work that was lost starting March 16.
The deadline to apply for assistance is July 22.
Each claim will be reviewed to determine eligibility to receive the aid, MDES officials said.
Eligibility applies to people who:
• Were unemployed for at least one week after the date of the disaster.
• Became the income provider or major support for a household because of a disaster-related death of the head of the household.
• Cannot work because of an injury caused as a result of the disaster.
• Could not work or lost work as a result of physical damage or destruction of a business or were unable to work because of the inaccessibility of the workplace due to its closure.
• Were scheduled to have started work and lost the job as result of the disaster.
Applications are available at www.mdes.ms.gov or by calling (601) 493-9428 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
