Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that New Jersey residents in all 21 counties will have until February 4, 2013 to apply for coverage under the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program as a result of damages caused by Hurricane Sandy.

The order establishes one deadline date, February 4, 2013, for New Jersey residents to seek coverage under the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program and extends the timeline within which people may file a claim. The program covers people in all 21 New Jersey counties, especially self-employed individuals, who were left unemployed as a direct result of the storm and who may not be covered by regular Unemployment Insurance.

Most impacted workers may already qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance, which is why anyone who plans to file a DUA claim should first file a regular claim for Unemployment Insurance. The federal DUA is a special program that covers many people who otherwise may not be eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance.

If you are unemployed or were left temporarily unemployed because of the disaster that began on Oct. 28, you should FIRST file for Unemployment Insurance benefits through the Internet by going to www.njuifile.net. Please note that due to higher than normal volume as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the system is experiencing some delays. As a result, individuals are encouraged to file via the Internet between 6 P.M. and 8 A.M.

The Internet processes claims faster. However, if needed, people may also file a claim by telephone by contacting the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Re-employment Call Centers at:

North Jersey    (201) 601-4100

Central Jersey  (732) 761-2020

South Jersey    (856) 507-2340

Out of State      (888) 795-6672

For more information on FEMA services please call the FEMA emergency number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  Information is also available via the Internet at www.disasterassistance.gov and www.fema.gov.

For information on all New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development programs and services visit http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/index.html and http://careerconnections.nj.gov/.

This link provides helpful information for DUA requirements for IRS documentation. http://www.irs.gov/uac/Reconstructing-Your-Records