Rio Arriba and San Juan added to counties eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Friday, July 12, 2024

Rio Arriba and San Juan added to counties eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has updated its Major Disaster Declaration to include Rio Arriba and San Juan counties.

These counties have been recognized as impacted areas by the South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, and related flooding, following the President’s initial declaration on June 20, 2024.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to individuals whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of the declared disaster in the areas of Lincoln County, Otero County, Rio Arriba County, San Juan County, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

The process to apply for DUA benefits includes two steps:

An individual must first apply for Standard Unemployment Insurance. This may be done online anytime 24/7 at https://www.jobs.state.nm.us, in person at any Workforce Connection Center, or by calling the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center at 1-877-664-6984, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Those filing their standard unemployment insurance claim online should check the box indicating that they have been affected by the fires.

After an individual receives notice that they are not eligible for Standard Unemployment Insurance, they may then apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance by calling the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center or by coming in person to any New Mexico Workforce Connection Center. As a fraud prevention measure, DUA applications are only accepted in person or by phone.

Individuals who lost work or employment in the designated disaster areas must file DUA applications by August 19, 2024. DUA is available to those who:

Worked or were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment; and

Do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits, or Extended Benefits (EB) from any state; and

Fall into at least one of the following categories:

Were unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they had to travel through the affected area and were prevented from doing so by the disaster; or

Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster; or

Cannot physically access the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster; or

Can establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their principal source of income; or

Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or

Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death related to the disaster/fire.

Claimants should file as soon as possible. Applications filed after the August 19, 2024, deadline will be considered untimely, and DUA benefits may be denied unless the individual provides good cause for filing after that date.

Proof of employment/self-employment must be submitted no later than 21 days after filing for a DUA claim. The following documents are acceptable as proof of employment:

Payroll voucher closest in date to the last work week

Employment and earnings statement from employer with name, address and contact information

Written statement from employer

Business records (bank statements, business receipts, licenses, advertisements, invoices, appointment books, financial statements)

Notarized statement from person with name, address, and contact information who can verify self-employment and unemployment

If an individual is self-employed, their 2023 federal income tax return and schedules can serve as proof of prior wages but does not substantiate their proof of employment at the time of the disaster.

DUA is available for weeks of unemployment beginning June 23, 2024, until December 21, 2024, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a direct result of the disaster.

Individuals applying for DUA will automatically receive their benefits via debit card unless they had a previous claim where they received direct deposit. A claimant can change their payment method to direct deposit at any time by logging onto their claimant homepage on the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims system at https://www.jobs.state.nm.us. Claimants who do not elect to receive payments through direct deposit should provide a safe address that will be accessible even during evacuation periods, and at which a trusted person will be receiving the mail.

Individuals who are applying in person for DUA may go to any New Mexico Workforce Connection Center (https://www.dws.state.nm.us/Office-Locations) to speak with an NMDWS representative Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.