Flood victims eligible for DUA

ATLANTA - Flood victims in eight Georgia counties - including Stephens (the Toccoa area) - have been declared eligible for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) because of last week's flooding.

Walker County is the latest county to be added to the list.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to compensate for loss of income directly resulting from the storms and flooding.

Carroll, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, Paulding and Stephens were approved earlier, bringing the total to eight Georgia counties. Presently, these are the only counties authorized for DUA benefits, but other counties may be added as federal officials assess the damage.

DUA is a federal program established to help workers whose primary income is lost or interrupted as a direct result of a disaster declared by the President. DUA differs from state unemployment insurance in that it also provides benefits to self-employed business people, farmers, diversified farming operators, loggers, commission-paid employees and others who are not eligible for Georgiaâ