Michigan residents who lost work due to extensive flooding and other severe weather this past spring can seek federal unemployment benefits, officials announced this week.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available for people who temporarily or permanently lost their jobs due to floods, tornadoes and storms in 27 counties, the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency said.
Deadline to apply
Applications must be submitted by Aug. 29. Eligible individuals who do not qualify for regular state unemployment insurance can receive up to 38 weeks of benefits through the program.
Storms caused devastation
Severe weather swept across Michigan from April 10-21, bringing heavy rainfall, flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes. The storms caused widespread damage, including flooded roads, homes and businesses, while multiple tornadoes were reported across parts of the state, prompting emergency declarations and recovery efforts.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for 27 counties hit hard by the severe weather.
“The severe storms, flooding and tornadoes that struck Michigan in April left a devastating impact on communities across more than half of the state, destroying and damaging homes, businesses, and roads,” Whitmer said in a statement when seeking the declaration. “While recovery efforts are underway, many residents and local governments face difficult and costly challenges.”
Holly in Oakland County had flooding at its wastewater plant following rainstorms. Tuscola County sustained widespread flooding that severely damaged roads, culverts and bridges.
On April 10, Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Cheboygan County due to the ongoing threat of waters rising past the top of the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. On April 15, she expanded the declaration to 32 other counties. She added five more counties, as well as the cities of Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, on April 17, followed by two more counties on April 20.
Nine tornadoes ripped through nine different Michigan counties during the April storms.
In southeast Michigan, two of the tornadoes damaged homes, a couple of ice arenas, businesses and a school, the National Weather Service said. There were no reports of injuries from either of the tornadoes, which struck in Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County, the Melvindale-Lincoln Park area of Wayne County and other areas of mid-Michigan and the west side of the Lower Peninsula.
Who is eligible?
The unemployment benefit program applies to affected workers in 27 counties: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iosco, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wexford.
To receive benefits, applicants must prove that the severe weather caused at least one of the following:
Eligibility is determined on a week-to-week basis, officials said, and all benefits end by Jan. 2, 2027.
How to apply
Applicants must first apply for regular unemployment insurance benefits in Michigan. To do so, resident should use the Michigan Web Account Manager portal at Michigan.gov/UIA.
If applicants are denied benefits there, they should download an informational packet via the Michigan Labor and Economic Opportunity webpage, then fill it out electronically or print it and complete it by hand.
Completed packets should be mailed to Unemployment Insurance Agency at P.O. Box 169, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0169.
Anyone who cannot download or print their application can visit their local UIA office or library, officials said.
Applicants must also provide proof their employment was affected by the disastrous weather. Examples may include W-2 forms, pay stubs, employment contracts or offer letters or documentation from an employer confirming employment status and impact of the disaster.
Supporting documentation can be included with an applicant’s submitted packet or filed within 21 days of filing a claim.
For information and resources, visit the state’s webpage dedicated to the federal aid program.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michiganians who lost work in April storms can apply for disaster benefits
Reporting by Max Reinhart, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Max Reinhart, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
