21-05-2025
Disaster Unemployment Assistance available for Arkansans affected by March storms
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (left) tours storm damage with local officials in Fifty-Six, Arkansas, on March 20, 2025. (Photo by Becca Paschal/Arkansas Governor's Office)
Arkansans who lost jobs or whose work was interrupted due to severe storms and tornadoes on March 14-15 can now apply for disaster unemployment assistance, Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald announced Tuesday.
Assistance is available to residents of Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties, and claims must be filed by July 7, according to a press release.
President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Arkansas last week after denying the governor's initial request in April.
Assistance is available to individuals who:
Worked or were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment
Can no longer work or perform services, including lack of work or loss of revenue because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster, which can also include the physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster
Establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income
Do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state
Cannot work or resume self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster
Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household
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.
Arkansans can file a claim online or in person at any Arkansas Workforce Center, which are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information is available on the Arkansas Workforce Connections website or by calling 1-844-908-2178.
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