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FEDERAL DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR 
THE OCTOBER 2017 CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES 
Immigrants, Farmworkers, and Self-Employed                                             For all applicants, the EDD will file a regular UI claim first 
                                                                                       to determine if they qualify for regular state UI benefits. 
Are you a farmworker or self-employed? Are you out of                                  If they don’t qualify for regular state UI benefits, then the 
work due to the recent wildfires?                                                      EDD will automatically file a federal DUA claim and 
                                                                                       determine if they meet the eligibility criteria for those 
There is a federal program administered by the                                         benefits. The EDD will notify applicants by mail of the type 
Employment Development Department (EDD), called                                        of benefits they are potentially eligible to receive. 
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) that can provide 
some financial support to those impacted by the California                             Additionally, individuals who are not U.S. Citizens 
wildfires in Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada,                                     or Nationals must be able to show they have current 
Orange, Sonoma, and Yuba counties.                                                     authorization to work in the United States. 
The DUA program provides temporary unemployment                                        How to Get Started 
assistance to individuals whose work or self-employment 
is interrupted due to a major disaster. This includes                                  To start the process, you need to file a claim by  
employees, farmworkers, and business owners who                                        December 18, 2017. The December 18th filing deadline 
may not normally qualify for regular state-provided                                    may be extended if you can show a good reason for why 
unemployment benefits.                                                                 you did not file by that date. 

Who Can Qualify                                                                        The fastest way to file is online through eApply4UI 
DUA unemployment insurance benefits are offered                                        available on EDD’s website at www.edd.ca.gov. You may 
to victims of the California wildfire disasters, and are                               also file by phone between 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon, Monday 
available to individuals who meet any one of the following                             through Friday: 
eligibility conditions:                                                                 	  English: 1-800-300-5616 
                                                                                        	  Spanish: 1-800-326-8937 
 	  Have applied and qualified for and received all regular                            	  Chinese (Cantonese): 1-800-547-3506 
   unemployment benefits from California or any other                                   	  Chinese (Mandarin): 1-866-303-0706 
   state; or                                                                            	  Vietnamese: 1-800-547-2058 
 	  Have applied for regular unemployment benefits in 
   California or any other state but do not qualify to                                 All disaster victims are encouraged to apply to avoid losing 
   receive the regular unemployment benefits; or                                       out on these valuable benefits and should note on their 
 	  Worked or were self-employed or were scheduled to                                 applications that they are out of work due to the wildfires. 
   begin work or self-employment in the disaster area but 
   cannot work or perform services due to the disaster; or                             Proof of Employment 
 	  Can demonstrate that the work or self-employment 
   they can no longer perform was their primary source of                              To receive DUA benefits, you must show proof that 
   income; or                                                                          you were employed or self-employed when the disaster 
                                                                                       occurred or proof that you were to begin work on or 
 	  Cannot perform work or self-employment because of                                 after the date of the disaster. All documentation must be 
   an injury as a direct result of the disaster and do not                             submitted within 21 days from the day you filed your 
   qualify for State Disability Insurance benefits; or 
                                                                                       application. Proof includes, check stubs, recent federal 
 	  Became the head of their households because of a                                  income tax returns, bank statements, work orders, affidavits 
   death caused by the disaster.                                                       from individuals having knowledge of your work or self-
                                                                                       employment, or other documents to support that you were 
For individuals who applied for and were qualified to 
                                                                                       working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. 
receive regular state Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits 
from California or any other state, they must receive all of 
their benefits before they can qualify to potentially receive 
DUA benefits. 

                                       PO Box 826880 • Sacramento  CA  94280-0001 
DE 8714Y Rev. 12 (11-17)(INTERNET)                                              Page 1 of 2	                                                     CU 



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Benefit Amounts and Duration                                                             Food Assistance 
                                                                                          	  CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) 
Once you are determined eligible, your benefit amount will 
range from $40 to $450 per week. Benefits are available                                       The CalFresh Program helps low-income people buy 
up to 26 weeks beginning the week of October 15, 2017.                                        nutritious food at most grocery stores and some farmer’s 
The last week of DUA benefits you may be paid is the week                                     markets. Visit www.calfresh.ca.gov or call  
ending April 14, 2018.                                                                        1-877-847-3663. 
                                                                                          	  Emergency Food Assistance Program and Local Food 
Other Helpful State Resources                                                                 Banks 
                                                                                              In California, federal, state and local community 
Understanding that this is a difficult time, below is a list of                               organizations coordinate to ensure that groceries are 
additional resources that may assist you. In many parts of                                    available at local food banks. Visit  
California, you can call 2-1-1 to learn about resources in                                    www.cafoodbanks.org. (Online resource only) 
your community or contact the agencies and organizations 
listed below directly to inquire about their programs. Some                               	  Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program 
programs may have eligibility criteria.                                                       Pregnant women and children under age 5 receive 
                                                                                              nutrition support at WIC. Visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic or 
Basic Necessities Assistance                                                                  call 1-888-942-9675. 
 	  California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to 
   Kids (CalWORKs)                                                                       Community-Based Resources 

   Cash assistance to families with children and pregnant                                 	  WE Connect 
   women in the last 120 days of pregnancy, who have 
   little or no assets or income. Visit                                                       Helpful resources on health, jobs, food, housing, tax 
   www.cdss.ca.gov/CalWorks or call 1-877-847-3663.                                           help, and education for your family. Visit  
                                                                                              www.calendow.org/weconnect or call  
 	  e-Benefits California                                                                    1-800-449-4149. 
   This site connects people with services in their county, 
   such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh (formerly known as Food 
   Stamps), and California Opportunity and Responsibility                                For additional information on a wide variety of resources, 
   to Kids (CalWORKs), including cash assistance to                                      including job search assistance and possible help with 
   families with children and pregnant women in the last                                 housing and medical care, visit the following websites: 
   120 days of pregnancy, who have little or no assets or 
   income. Visit www.benefitscal.org. (Online resource                                    	  EDD’s website at www.edd.ca.gov  
   only)                                                                                  	  California Department of Social Services website at 
 	  General Assistance or General Relief                                                     www.cdss.ca.gov   
   Loans or grants are available for adults without children                              	  California Immigrant Guide at  
   who have little or no assets or income. Visit                                              www.immigrantguide.ca.gov/en/DisasterRelief 
   www.cwda.org or call 916-443-1749. 

                                              The EDD is an equal opportunity employer/program                   
   Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Request for services, aids, and
   or alternate formats need to be made prior to the event by calling 1-866-490-8879 (voice). TTY users, please call the
                                                      California Relay Services at 711
DE 8714Y Rev. 12 (12-17) (INTERNET)         	                                     Page 2 of 2 






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