Source: NCDA&CS, 9/29/11

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is reminding farmers and farm workers affected by Hurricane Irene to apply for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance from the N.C. Employment Security Commission before time runs out.

Farmers and their workers in 35 North Carolina counties are eligible to apply. Filing deadline for individuals in Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico and Tyrrell counties is Sept. 30.

Following is a list of other eligible counties and filing deadlines:
• Halifax and Lenoir counties, Oct. 3;
• Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Hertford, Johnston, Jones, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Vance, Warren, Washington and Wilson counties, Oct. 5;
• Pender and Wayne counties, Oct. 11.
Farmers meeting the following criteria may be eligible for benefits:
• Individuals who are unemployed due to the disaster, and do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits;
• Self-employed individuals and small-business owners who lost income due to the disaster;
• Individuals who were prevented from working due to an injury caused by the disaster;
• Individuals who have become the major supplier of household income due to the disaster-related death or injury of the previous major supplier of household income;
• Individuals who are unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster;
• Individuals who were to commence employment or self-employment but were prevented by the disaster.

Farmers and workers may contact the ESC by email at esc.dua@ncesc.gov or by calling 1-866-795-8877 to apply for DUA benefits. Individuals are encouraged to file as soon as possible.