Hawaii County residents urged to file disaster unemployment aid by June 15

Hawaii County workers who lost pay in March’s Kona Low storms still have a short window to claim disaster unemployment aid, but the filing deadline closes June 15 and late applications can be denied without good cause.

The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says Disaster Unemployment Assistance applies to people in Hawaii County, the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County who became unemployed, or had hours cut or interrupted, because of the storms, floods, landslides and mudslides that hit between March 10 and March 24, 2026. Federal disaster officials set the declaration date for April 7, and DLIR began accepting applications May 7.

Eligible claimants may receive a minimum of $346 a week and as much as $868 a week for weeks beginning March 15 through the week ending October 10. The aid is meant for people who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance, and the state says regular unemployment insurance and DUA cannot be paid at the same time.

The program reaches beyond laid-off employees. DLIR says workers, business owners, self-employed people, farmers and fishermen may qualify. So may people whose unemployment was directly caused by the disaster, those who could not get to work because roads were blocked or property damage cut off access, people who were scheduled to start a job but could not, major support providers whose household circumstances changed because of a disaster-related death, and people unable to work because of a disaster-related injury.

State officials are pushing especially hard in Hawaii County, where some residents may still be sorting through the long tail of storm damage months after the rain ended. The Hilo Claims Office at 1990 Kinoole Street, Room 1001, is available for in-person help, an important option for people in rural areas or for anyone who needs hands-on assistance with the filing.

Applicants must provide a government-issued ID, Social Security number, a copy of the most recent federal tax return and pay stubs or other proof of employment or self-employment. Benefits are paid by direct deposit.

The deadline sits alongside another major recovery cutoff: FEMA’s deadline for Individual Assistance tied to the same Kona Low flooding was June 14. HIEMA says residents can also request a Disaster Case Manager by calling 2-1-1 or emailing KonaLowDCMP@gem.org, underscoring how many separate aid programs are still open at once.

For workers on Hawaii Island, the message is simple: if March’s storms cost you income, the clock is almost out to file.