Pandemic Unemployment Assistance UPDATE #2 FOR [Sunday April 26th(2)]

.:: CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR STATES PUA FILING STATUS ::.

• [MAINE]:   ” “Banks have been underwriting loans, they have been preparing them,” said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. “I know there are several hundred thousand loans that are in the pipeline ready to go.” These loans are designed to cover employee payroll for eight weeks. They will be forgiven if the money is used on payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities. Unlike the first round of funding, self-employed people, independent contractors and sole proprietors will now be eligible to receive loans. Mainers who fall into those categories but do not utilize Paycheck Protection Loans may also qualify for newly-designed state unemployment benefits. “The current structure does not permit people who are self-employed to collect state unemployment insurance benefits,” said Labor Department Commissioner Laura Fortman at Friday’s press conference. The Maine Department of Labor will announce a timeline for a separate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program this week…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [OHIO]:   “PUA is a new federal program that provides up to 39 weeks of benefits to a wider variety of workers, including those who are were self-employed, those who worked part-time and those who do not have a sufficient work history, according to Ohio’s unemployment website. There is no minimum income requirement to qualify for these benefits. To preregister for PUA starting Friday. Once on the unemployment webpage, click “Get Started Now.” “The preregistration tool will allow individuals to get in line early and preregister their account, so that as soon as the agency has the technical ability to process their claims in May, they can log in and complete their paperwork,” said the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [NORTH CAROLINA]:   “Some relief is now available for “gig workers” and others whose income has been affected by COVID-19 under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, according to the North Carolina Department of Employment Security. DES says it will begin accepting applications as of April 24 for the PUA program. Applications can be made at the DES website.“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, is a federal program for people who are unable to work as a result of COVID-19 and not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits, such as self-employed workers and independent contractors,” DES explains…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [ARIZONA]:   “Also ineligible are those who have been self-employed, including workers in the gig economy and independent contractors. And those seeking only part-time work or those who have exhausted the 26 weeks of state benefits also do not qualify. Deciding a new system was necessary, agency Director Tom Betlach told Capitol Media Services that it made more sense to contract that out rather than try to do it in-house. “When you get some of these older systems, doing the programming and making the time to do that just becomes too expensive an exercise,” he said. And then there’s the simple fact that current staff is busy trying to deal with the nearly 420,000 Arizonans who have sought first-time benefits since Gov. Doug Ducey shuttered many businesses he said are not essential and then issued a stay-at-home order for those not working for or going to one of those businesses or participating in other essential services. Only thing is, DES says that the new system won’t be launched until the week of May 12…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [CONNECTICUT]:   “The $600 payments will be in effect from March 29 through July 25. Those who received benefits since March 29 without the additional $600 will be provided the funds in a lump sum that will be given in about a week. Like the additional weekly $600 benefit, the Department of Labor had to program the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program into its system. Those can be applied for beginning April 30. Once that claim is processed, you will begin receiving payment…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [GEORGIA]:   “The $600 federal check is available if you are a state unemployment recipient. DEVELOPMENTS FOR self-employed, gig workers, 1099 independent contractors, employees of churches, employees of non-profits, or those with limited work history who do not qualify for state unemployment benefits. You are eligible for the newly created federal option called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA…” [FULL ARTICLE]
• [WEST VIRGINIA]:   “The coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of people in tough financial spots, and technical issues while applying for assistance hasn’t helped. WorkForce West Virginia began accepting applications for pandemic unemployment assistance Friday night, but issues with the website just cause more frustration. “When the portal finally came open last night at 10 o’clock, I got a message that the website was under construction,” Kim Gardner, a small business owner, said. “That kept going on and on. Finally, at 12:30, I called it quits.”…” [FULL ARTICLE]