AUSTIN - The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) today announced that Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Shelby and Smith counties have been added to Presidential Disaster Declaration FEMA-1791-DR. TWC is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from individuals whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to Hurricane Ike between Sunday, September 7, 2008, and Thursday, October 2, 2008. Applications for DUA must be filed by Wednesday, November 12, 2008.

DUA is available to individuals who:

• worked or were selfemployed in or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment,

• can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster,

• establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income,

• do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits from any state,

• cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster, or

• who became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of household.

Applications filed after Wednesday, November 12, 2008, will be considered untimely, unless the individual provides good cause for filing after the deadline.

Individuals will need their Social Security number, a copy of their most recent federal income tax forms or check stubs, or documentation to support they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed.