Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available
Friday, May 07, 2010 | 11:24am
27 Counties Eligible for Additional Benefits
NASHVILLE - Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are available to workers in Benton, Carroll, Cheatham, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion, Perry, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Tipton and Williamson counties who are out of work as a direct result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that began April 30, 2010, and are continuing, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development James Neeley reported today. The declaration number is FEMA-1909-DR.
“This is a direct line of assistance for those who are out of work due to this natural disaster,” said Commissioner Neeley. “These counties are the starting point, and we’ll open this assistance to other counties as they are declared disaster areas by FEMA.”
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development administers the program on behalf of the federal government. According to Neeley, persons unemployed as a direct result of the severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes must file their claim for DUA benefits within 30 days of this announcement.
Individuals who are not covered for regular unemployment benefits may qualify for disaster unemployment benefits. This includes self-employed workers and others not covered by the state unemployment insurance program whose source of income has been interrupted by the disaster damage.
If possible, individuals should have access to their 2009 income tax return, Social Security Number, and any papers with wage and employment information prior to the disaster.
Weekly DUA benefit amounts are determined in the same way as regular unemployment benefits. Benefits range from $114 to $275 per week and are payable up to 26 weeks after the day of declaration, which was May 4, 2010. DUA benefits will end if unemployment is no longer the direct result of the disaster.
If your unemployment claim is a direct result of the disaster, do not file your unemployment claim by Internet to avoid delays.
Persons who are unemployed as a result of the severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that began April 30, 2010, who need to file an unemployment claim may call (615)253-0800, extension 7599 locally or 1-877-813-0950,extension 7599, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays or report in person to one of the following TDLWD Career Centers. Designated Career Centers take claims on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
The following Career Centers will be taking unemployment claims as a result of the disaster. These are the 22 career centers that take mass lack-of-work claims on a regular basis.
Athens
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410 Congress Parkway
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Bristol
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1712 West State Street
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Chattanooga
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5600 Brainerd Road, Suite A-5
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Clarksville
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Veterans Plaza, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 406
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Columbia
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119 Nashville Highway, Suite 106, Northway Shopping Ctr.
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Cookeville
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3300 Williams Enterprise Drive
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Crossville
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60 Ridley Street
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Dyersburg
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439 McGaughey Street
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Gallatin
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175 College Street
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Humboldt
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1481 Mullins Street
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Jacksboro
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1016 Main Street
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Jackson
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362 Carriage House Drive
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Johnson City
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2515 Wesley Street
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Knoxville
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1610 University Avenue
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Lawrenceburg
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702 Mahr Avenue
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McMinnville
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107 Lyon Street
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Murfreesboro
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1313 Old Fort Parkway
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Nashville
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2200 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. (previously Metro Center Blvd.)
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Paris
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1023 Mineral Wells Avenue, Suite F
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Rogersville
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1112 East Main Street
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Talbott/Morristown
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6057 W. Andrew Johnson Highway, Alpha Square, Suite A
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Tullahoma
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111 East Lincoln Street
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Residents in Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton counties should apply for unemployment benefits in the following Career Centers that process walk-in unemployment claims from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday:
Memphis - Mendenhall
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5368 Mendenhall Mall
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Memphis - Raleigh
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2850 Austin Peay Hwy., Suite 132
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Memphis - Poplar
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1295 Poplar Avenue
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Collierville
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942 West Poplar, Suite 4
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Somerville
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121 West Court Square
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Ripley
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301C Lake Drive
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Covington
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724 East Lucky Plaza Hwy 51N
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For updates, please check our agency’s Web site at www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/ .
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