Arkansas Department of Commerce launches resource webpage for tornado-struck businesses

The Arkansas Department of Commerce has created a webpage for Arkansans and businesses that have been impacted by the storms that hit the state on Friday (March 31).

Storms swept across the state last Friday with tornadoes inflicting heavy damage in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood and Wynne.

The new page is available at commerce.arkansas.gov/arkansas-tornado-response.

The webpage includes links to resources from the federal, state and local levels, as well as information on how to remain up-to-date on the latest news regarding relief efforts.

Business resources include information on

• Unemployment assistance
• Insurance resources
• Consumer protection
• Local resources
• Utilities
• Information on disaster loans

“Arkansas communities have been hit hard by the recent storms and need all the support they can get,” said Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “Our goal is to make it easy for businesses and individuals to find the help they need.”

With the formality of a Presidential disaster declaration, McDonald announced the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services (ADWS) is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from individuals in Cross, Lonoke, and Pulaski counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 31, 2023.

Applications for DUA must be filed by May 4, 2023.

DUA is available to individuals who:

• Worked or were self-employed, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment;
• Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster, which can also include the physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal, state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster;
• Establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income;
• Do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state;
• Cannot work or resume self-employment because of an injury as a direct result of the disaster; or
• Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household.

Applications filed after May 4, 2023, will be considered untimely, unless the individual provides good cause for filing after the deadline.

Individuals will need their Social Security number, a copy of 2022 Federal income tax forms or check stubs, or documentation to support they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred.

To file for DUA, individuals may go online at https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov and file their UI application. Select “Laid off – Weather” as the reason for separation. After completing the UI application, individuals will need to click the DUA link to download the DUA application. Email the completed form to [email protected].