Basic assistance (food, clothing, housing, health care, information on accessing schools, etc), please connect to the closest Family Resource Center.
EOHHS has asked the Family Resource Centers Across the state to provide coordination for individuals and families. In addition, 211 Connect is providing basic information at a statewide level to help connect individuals to supports.
Unemployment benefits
Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) staff at the MassHire Career Centers will assist them with access to the Puerto Rico Unemployment Insurance website to file a claim. Individuals inquiring about filing a Disaster Unemployment Assistance claim should be instructed to first file an initial UI claim online with Puerto Rico unemployment since the individual must first be determined ineligible for regular unemployment benefits before it can be determined whether they are eligible for the Disaster benefits.
- Encourage an evacuee to file online at “http://www.trabajo.pr.gov/. An initial UI claim can be filed by clicking on the button titled “Reclamacion Inicial” and a continued claim can be filed by clicking on “Reclamacion Semanas Subsiguientes.”
- Individuals who do not have internet access can call Puerto Rico’s unemployment call center at (787) 945-7900 to file a regular, initial claim, or to file a continued claim.
MA unemployment insurance staff can assist individuals in person or over the phone to access the Puerto Rico system. For help, refer individuals who cannot use the online system to the designated phone number, (877) 355-1135, where a Spanish-speaking agent will provide assistance in completing the Disaster benefit application. Or, the Department of Unemployment Assistance also offers in-person assistance in Spanish at:
- · CareerPoint, 850 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040,
- · ValleyWorks Career Center, 255 Essex Street, Lawrence, MA 01840,
- · The Boston Walk-In Center, 1st Floor, 19 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114