Residents of Doña Ana County can now apply for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) following the county's inclusion in New Mexico’s major disaster declaration due to storms, flooding, and landslides on June 23. The assistance is available to those whose employment or self-employment was affected by the disaster in Lincoln County and Doña Ana County.
To apply for DUA benefits, individuals must first attempt to qualify for Standard Unemployment Insurance. Applications can be submitted online at https://www.jobs.state.nm.us, through America’s Job Center New Mexico locations, or by calling the Unemployment Insurance Operations center at 1-877-664-6984 during business hours. If found ineligible for standard benefits, applicants may then apply for DUA by selecting option 5 when calling the operations center.
Eligibility for DUA requires that individuals were working or scheduled to work and are unable to do so due to the disaster. They must not qualify for regular unemployment benefits from any state. Additionally, they must have been prevented from reaching their job location because of travel restrictions caused by the disaster or have experienced physical damage or closure of their workplace.
Applicants need to submit proof of employment within 21 days of filing a DUA claim. Acceptable documents include payroll vouchers, employment statements from employers, business records like bank statements and invoices, or notarized statements verifying self-employment status.
DUA benefits cover unemployment starting June 29, 2025, until January 24, 2026, provided that unemployment remains directly linked to the disaster. Applications are accepted only via phone calls. Payments will be made through debit cards unless direct deposit was previously set up; changes can be made through the claimant homepage on the Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims system.
For further information about DUA, visit the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions website at https://www.dws.state.nm.us/DUA. Career consultants at various America’s Job Center locations across New Mexico are also available to assist with reemployment services such as job searches and skill development.
Information from this article can be found here.
