Here are Tuesdays (April 21st, 2020) updates for Gig, Rideshare, Self-employed, Independent Contractors, Freelancers, etc. regarding Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications:
- [TEXAS]: “Self-employed, contract and gig workers who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic should apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the federal program authorized under the $2 trillion stimulus law to expand unemployment benefits to those who do not traditionally qualify. The Texas Workforce Commission, the state agency that administers unemployment benefits, said in a release Wednesday that non-traditional applicants should use the Unemployment Benefits Services system to apply for the federal benefits, which will pay a base benefit amount of $207…” [FULL ARTICLE]
- [FLORIDA]: “Nearly a month after President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act into law, giving federal unemployment benefits to millions of gig workers, contractors and the self-employed, Floridians will now be able to apply for those benefits through the state department that handles unemployment. In an interview Wednesday, Florida Department of Management Services Secretary John Satter, who is leading the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity through its coronavirus unemployment surge, said the state is now ready to start receiving applications from people who qualify for federal unemployment benefits…” [FULL ARTICLE]
- [NEW MEXICO]: “Starting April 26, self-employed New Mexicans can apply for unemployment benefits. Previously, self-employed workers, independent contractors, gig workers and others were not eligible for unemployment benefits. If a self-employed person has already filed a claim, they do not need to file a new one. If they have been unable to work or forced to reduce hours, they may qualify for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA)…” [FULL ARTICLE]
- [KENTUCKY]: “Dustin Pugel, senior policy analyst with the think tank Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, is glad the state expanded unemployment to contractors, gig economy workers and self-employed during the pandemic. He and his colleagues put together a response about changes they felt needed to be made to the UI system during the pandemic, which they sent to state lawmakers. “Hopefully we’re also beginning to understand that they are an integral part of the economy and we can’t leave them behind when the economy tanks,” Pugel said…” [FULL ARTICLE]
- [ARIZONA]: “Arizona officials are still figuring out how to implement the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. It is part of the CARES Act that is supposed to provide financial assistance specifically for workers who are usually deemed ineligible for regular unemployment benefits including gig economy workers, part-time workers, people with limited work history, and self-employed workers…” [FULL ARTICLE]
Arizona is a moving target, trying to get it confirmed today!
Your welcome 😊✊🏽
Arizona was scheduled to start taking gig applications for UI. What happened? When will it start?
Very helpful, thank you again!