WPBN: Hurricane Helene has caused the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of South Carolina to extend the deadline for submitting applications for unemployment aid in the event of a natural catastrophe occurring.
In addition, the Palmetto State has extended a housing program that was previously in place.
Help for those who are unemployed
The revised deadline is January 7, which is also the deadline for submitting an application for assistance from FEMA. This is accomplished through the state’s unemployment insurance benefits system, which makes the monies available to those who are unemployed.
Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, McCormick, Orangeburg, and Saluda counties are among the counties in our region that come under the category of qualifying counties.
If you were laid off from your job or lost your job as a direct result of Hurricane Helene, you should go to the MyBenefits Portal in order to apply for unemployment insurance and identify whether or not you are eligible for it.
To submit an application through the system that handles unemployment insurance benefits, you can alternatively go to dew.sc.gov and click the MyBenefits Login button that is located in the first circle of the homepage. Please call 1-866-831-1724 if you require assistance.
Workers or business owners in the counties that are eligible for the program and who match the following criteria may be eligible to receive a minimum of $150 and a maximum of $326 each week:
- They are those who are unable to find work as a result of the disaster and do not meet the requirements to get regular unemployment insurance benefits.
- People who were self-employed or owners of small businesses and who experienced a loss of income as a result of the disaster.
- Those who were unable to contribute to the workforce as a result of an injury that was brought on by the disaster.
- Those individuals who have taken over as the primary source of income for the household as a result of the death or injury of the prior primary source of income for the household that was caused by a natural disaster.
- Those individuals who are unable to reach their place of employment or self-employment because they are required to go through the affected area and are stopped from doing so as a result of the disaster.
- Those individuals who were prepared to begin working or starting their own business but were prevented from doing so by the calamity.
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Safe haven for transitional
FEMA’s transitional sheltering aid program has been extended until January 11 for those survivors of the Hurricane Helene disaster who continue to require temporary housing. This extension was made in response to a request by the state of South Carolina.
By doing so, households are afforded additional time to evaluate alternative housing solutions or to make repairs to their existing residence.
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This would ensure that more than 6,000 families who have already checked into hotels in the vicinity continue to get free hotel and motel rooms under the same conditions.
Over one-third of the households have found adequate housing for a longer period of time and have also gone on with their rehabilitation. More than 10,000 households have accepted temporary shelter in hotels that are participating in the program.
To obtain additional information, those who have survived should call the FEMA Helpline at the number 800-621-3362.
