Assistance Offered For Oklahomans Impacted By Storms Who Cannot Work

Help is available for people who cannot work following recent storms.

The State of Oklahoma wants people in impacted counties to be aware of its Disaster Unemployment Assistance program.

News 9's Matt McCabe spoke with unemployment officials about how to apply. 

For Oklahomans who are recovering from disaster, the amount of government assistance can sometimes be overwhelming. But Oklahoma's Employment Security Commission says it is available to help.

Storms across the entire state have destroyed homes and businesses in recent weeks. Leaving people not only without their belongings but also without a way to work.

"If you wouldn't traditionally qualify for unemployment insurance, you could qualify for disaster unemployment assistance," said Christopher O'Brien with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

O'Brien says small businesses in areas hit by disaster face a long recovery.

"They lost their business, they lost their home, you have employees that they no longer have a job. It could be a car, maybe their only way to get to work has been destroyed. Maybe a road was wiped out. And that's the only road to get to work," O’Brien said.

He also says -- so much help is available, that it's easy to miss the windows for some programs.

"You see people helping people and that's what we do here in this state, but what they don't understand is that there's some government assistance that can come assist with that," said O’Brien.

Some Oklahomans might be eligible for help -- but not know it.

But O'Brien wants everyone to know the timeline for getting money back in their pocket.

"That deadline is July 1, 2024. We know government can be complicated many times, so we have many experts on disaster unemployment assistance on the phone in these local offices around the state. They're going to care of everything for you," O’Brien said.

Before you can receive disaster unemployment assistance, you first have to apply and be rejected for traditional unemployment, at this link: https://oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals.html