Raleigh, N.C. – The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been extended to March 10, 2025, for individuals affected by Hurricane Helene in 39 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Applications can be submitted online at des.nc.gov.
The extension aligns with deadlines set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and allows the North Carolina Division of Employment Security (DES) to continue providing temporary financial assistance to those impacted by the storm.
Residents and business owners in the following counties may be eligible for DUA benefits: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey, as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.
DUA benefits are available to individuals who lost employment or business income as a direct result of Hurricane Helene. Eligible recipients may receive up to 26 weeks of assistance for unemployment beginning September 29, 2024, through March 29, 2025. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate ongoing unemployment due to the disaster on a weekly basis.
For more information on eligibility and application procedures, visit des.nc.gov.
