DeKalb County residents who lost their jobs due to the August flooding will be eligible for assistance.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) is offering Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) as part of the federal disaster declaration secured by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

“This unemployment assistance is its own department, independent of the FEMA office,” said Mica Matsoff, a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity representative. “Anyone who is eligible can file a claim and be approved. They just have to provide proof of their situation.”

Applicants must apply by Oct. 31, and should bring their Social Security number and pay stubs or documentation to show their employment expenses.

The maximum benefits through the DUA program are $498/week for an applicant with a dependent child, $436/week for an applicant with a dependent spouse and $367/week for an individual applicant. The minimum weekly benefit is $149.

“This is not regular unemployment assistance,” Matsoff said. “This is strictly for those who suffered unemployment due to the storms. We’ve had people with flooding or tree-related damage or some whose homes were flooded who worked from home. It’s really across the board.”

Other counties eligible for DUA include Grundy, Kane, LaSalle, Lake and Will.