PDF document
- 1 -
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



- 2 -
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






PDF file checksum: 1552280186

(Plugin #1/8.13/12.0)