HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — It’s been about a month since the Guam Department of Labor applied for funding for a Guam Disaster Unemployment Assistance program in response to the economic effects of Typhoon Mawar. Now that some initial funding has been fully authorized, the Leon Guerrero administration, through GDOL, is preparing to launch the program in the coming weeks.
Guam was authorized an initial obligation of $876,374 for administrative costs to implement the program, the Office of the Governor announced in a press release.
Although GDOL applied for $26 million on June 9, according to the release, the Federal Emergency Management Agency requested an initial administrative funding request under $1 million, and then the balance of $25 million afterward, because benefits require congressional notice.
With administrative costs approved by FEMA and the U.S. Department of Labor, GDOL can now provide the final parameters to its software vendor to program the Guam DUA system, the release added.
Eligibility
DUA is a FEMA-funded disaster program with strict guidelines, and residents had to have been employed on the date of Typhoon Mawar to be part of the program, Adelup said in the release.
“Documented proof of employment, a government-issued picture (identification), and a statement from the employer that the worker’s unemployment is directly due to damage caused by the storm is required,” Adelup stated. “Self-employed individuals will need to prove that their self-employment is their primary income source and that they cannot engage in self-employment activities directly due to the storm. These individuals will need to provide proof that their business is legitimate. Examples of such proof would be a copy of the individual’s business license, gross receipts tax filings and business records.”
Weekly assistance under the program will be $384 for each week of total unemployment, or $9.60 per hour for a 40-hour week, retroactive to May 28. The DUA program will be an automated system similar to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, so online filing will be required. Leon Guerrero added that, similar to PUA, her administration looks forward “to providing support and much-needed relief” to workers who lost wages as a result of Typhoon Mawar.
The governor’s office strongly encouraged all affected workers to start preparing their documents. Failure to provide documentation within 21 days of filing an initial claim will lead to a denial. Claims must be filed within 30 days from the date that the system goes live. If a claim is filed after that window, it will be denied under federal DUA regulations, Adelup added in the release.
Online registration
While the official launch of the DUA program is pending, affected persons with a HireGuam.com account should log on now to ensure they are ready once the program begins, Adelup advised.
“Individuals who are registered on hireguam.com should take steps to ensure their accounts are active. If you are unable to log on or reset your password, email webadmin@dol.guam.gov for assistance. If you think you will be applying for DUA benefits as a direct result of Typhoon Mawar and do not have an account, register today at hireguam.com. For more information, contact GDOL at 671-475-7000/1 or visit dol.guam.gov,” the governor’s office stated.
Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio said funding to program the Guam DUA system will benefit the island for future disasters, as having the framework set up will improve implementation time drastically in case another disaster is declared.
“The GDOL has been actively surveying our business sector to provide the supporting information to secure this funding source. According to the data collected last month, GDOL estimates as much as 14% of the workforce, or 7,000 individuals, will apply for this aid, hundreds of whom are farmers and fishermen,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero stated in the release.
The Guam Department of Labor offices are seen at the Bell Tower building in Anigua.
