Creek County Wildfire Victims Can Apply For Disaster Unemployment Benefits

People who lost work or earnings due to the Creek County wildfires can apply for disaster unemployment assistance, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

The time period covered is from August 3 through August 14, 2012, and includes the Freedom Hill wildfire. Application should be made by close of business on September 27, 2012.

To be eligible workers had to have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area but either lost their job or could not get to work because of the wildfires, a news release states.

If they were injured or became ill as a direct result of the disaster or need employment because the former head of the household died as a result of the disaster, they may also be eligible for disaster unemployment assistance.

The loss of work must be a direct result of physical damage or destruction of the place of employment or physical inaccessibility due to closure by the federal, state or local government in response to the disaster. Also, if revenues were lost because a business depended upon an entity that was damaged, destroyed or closed in the wildfires.

If you believe you may be eligible for assistance, call the OESC Unemployment Insurance Service Center at 1-800-555-1554 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Be sure to have your Social Security number and name and address or your last employer or prospective employer handy, the release states.