Residents in Lumpkin, Habersham and White counties have until early June to file claims for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the funds are available to those who lost income as a direct result of the storms that hit the Southeast in late April.

Lumpkin residents - along with those in Gordon, Harris and Heard counties - have until June 2 to file initial claims. Those in White and Habersham - along with Cherokee, Newtown and Upson counties - have until June 3.

And those in Bartow, Catoosa, Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Greene, Lamar, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Troup and Walker counties have until June 1.

The assistance is part of a federal program to help workers whose primary income is interrupted as a result of a disaster declared by the president, according to a news release from the Georgia Department of Labor.

The benefits apply to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and associated flooding that hit the area April 27-28.

The money is available to some who do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance, including self-employed people, farmers, loggers and commission-paid employees.

Maximum weekly benefits are $330.

Benefits also can go to family members when the head of the household died as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible workers should contact the Georgia Department of Labor office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Georgia Mountains Area One-Stop Center is located at 2481 Hilton Drive, Suite 8, in Gainesville. The office number is 770-538-2727.