Do I apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) with FEMA or with the State?

While the DUA program is a Federal program, the benefits are administered by states as agents of the federal government.

The FEMA website offers an Apply for Assistance link, which can confuse be mistaken for filing for Indiana Unemployment benefits. While waiting to hear back from FEMA, a number of applicants have missed the opportunity to file with the state, becoming ineligible for benefits.

To be eligible for benefits you must file an initial application for DUA within 30 days of the date the Department of Workforce Services issued a newspaper announcement of the availability of assistance.

Timely filing with the state is why you are instructed to return to this website to complete your application.