Income Excluded by Federal Law—Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Public Law 100-707 authorizes the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to pay Disaster Unemployment Assistance to any individual unemployed as a result of a major disaster. Individuals cannot be eligible for any other unemployment compensation and also receive disaster unemployment benefits. Payments are limited to 26 weeks.

Because disaster unemployment assistance is considered Federal major disaster and emergency assistance under the Stafford Act, it cannot be considered as income or as a resource when determining Food Stamp Program benefits. State agencies need only verify the source of the unemployment income only if the client suffered a job loss or was unemployed due to a recent disaster.

This income exclusion will be added to our updated list of excluded income and resources. If you have any questions, please contact your Regional representative in Certification Policy Branch.

Arthur T. Foley
Director
Program Development Division 

Last modified: 02/16/2012