LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Disaster unemployment assistance is now available for people in 37 Kentucky counties after severe storms in April.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday the state is expanding eligibility for Disaster Unemployment Assistance to include people in 24 additional counties who are out of work as a result of severe storms, winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began April 2.
According to a news release, U.S. President Donald Trump approved Beshear's request for a major disaster declaration in response to severe storms April 24. Trump then approved an amendment to the declaration to expand assistance to 24 counties May 14.
The original counties approved were Anderson, Boone, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Franklin, Hardin, Hopkins, Jessamine, McCracken, Mercer, Owen and Woodford counties. The additional counties added to the Individual Assistance and DUA eligibility are Breckinridge, Bullitt, Calloway, Daviess, Garrard, Grayson, Hancock, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Jefferson, LaRue, Lincoln, McLean, Meade, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Pendleton, Powell, Trimble, Warren and Webster counties.
According to a news release, people unemployed or self-employed living or working in the affected areas and became unemployed or had work interrupted as a direct result of the flooding that occurred in Kentucky starting April 2 are eligible to apply for DUA benefits through the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance.
According to a news release, DUA is available to people
- Worked or were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work;
- Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to their place of employment as a direct result of a disaster, which can also include the physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state or local government in immediate response to the disaster;
- Establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income;
- Do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state;
- Cannot work or resume self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or
- As a result of the disaster, became the breadwinner or major supporter of a household because of the death of the head of the household.
To qualify, claimants in eligible counties have to show their employment or self-employment was lost in interrupted as a direct result of the disaster and they are not otherwise eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits under state or federal law. According to a news release, farmers and other self-employed people who traditionally are ineligible for unemployment insurance can also qualify for DUA.
To file a claim visit the Kentucky Career Center website by clicking here or call (502) 564-2900. The deadline to apply is June 23.
Related Stories:
Tornado that leveled Kentucky towns, killed 19 was an EF4 with 170 mph winds, NWS says
TUESDAY'S THREATS: Which Two Look Most Concerning And Where...
'It was too late' | Kentucky father fights back tears recounting how family survived EF3 tornado
Tornado Blog | Real-time updates after deadly severe weather hits Kentucky
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
