Dept. of Labor Encouraging Eligible Applicants to Apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance Before August 30 Deadline

If you lost your job as a direct result of Hurricanes Irma or Maria and remain unemployed, you have until Friday, August 30th to file for Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits through the Virgin Islands Department of Labor (D.O.L.).

The labor department extended the deadline for all who meet the eligibility requirements. Once a claimant returns to work, eligibility to the DUA benefits may end, according to a D.O.L. statement released Thursday. 

Eligibility is based on the following criteria:

•  Individuals who have exhausted Disaster Unemployment Assistance claims and remained unemployed as a result of the disaster.

• Individuals who have exhausted regular Unemployment Insurance claims and Extended Benefits claims and remained unemployed as a result of the disaster, even if they did not apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance during the original Disaster Assistance Period.

•  Individuals who had a lapse in continued claim filings and remained unemployed as a result of the disaster, if the reason for the lapse is not disqualifying (e.g., the lapse didn’t result from the individual returning to suitable work). 

• Individuals who have never applied for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (for reasons other than collecting regular Unemployment Insurance benefits or Extended Benefits during the original disaster assistance period) if they can show good cause for the late filings.

For St. Thomas and St. Croix claimants, unemployment insurance representatives will be available at normal locations 2353 Kronprindsens Gade, St. Thomas, and 4401 Sion Farm Ste. 1, St. Croix, Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., until August 30th. 

For St. John claimants, an unemployment insurance representative will be available in Cruz Bay at the St. John Battery on Mondays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Applicants no longer residing in U.S. Virgin Islands may call 340-715-5711 to file for benefits.

D.O.L. invites questions and concerns regarding Disaster Unemployment Assistance eligibility and the overall process. The department says it appreciates the partnership with the public and the media in this matter. Visit VIDOL online at  https://www.vidol.gov. The public may also call the Unemployment Insurance Division directly on St. Croix (340)773-1994 or on St. Thomas (340)776-3700.