Unemployment insurance available for hurricane-affected workers

By The Star Staff

Labor and Human Resources (DTRH by its Spanish initials) Secretary Gabriel Maldonado González announced Sunday that unemployment insurance is available for workers affected by Hurricane Fiona who meet the requirements established by law.

“We know that many workers are facing the difficult situation of losing their jobs because of the ravages caused by the passage of Hurricane Fiona,” the official said in a written statement. “[Governor] Pedro Pierluisi, and his interagency component, are joining efforts to assist workers who may benefit from unemployment insurance, as well as to seek alternatives to support those who do not qualify for such assistance.”

Maldonado González said it is of the utmost importance that all displaced workers who meet the requirements for unemployment insurance apply for the assistance by accessing https://trabajo.pr.gov/.

“While those who do not qualify, please stay tuned to our updates as we expect that we will soon be able to grant Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA),” he added.

In the case of Unemployment Insurance, the claimant will be able to receive, for a period of up to 26 weeks, an incentive of up to a maximum of $240. As part of the eligibility requirements, in general terms, the claimant must have lost their employment through no fault of their own and worked for an insured employer registered with the Department of Labor and Human Resources. They must also be registered for a job search at any of the DTRH Employment Service offices at the One-Stop Centers and be ready to accept a new job when offered. They also must have had income for at least two quarters in the past 18 months.