To receive PUA benefits, you must file a claim in the state where you worked or were self-employed. To find your state’s program and learn how and where to file your claim, visit the Unemployment Insurance Service Locator. When you file a claim, the state agency will require information such as addresses and dates of former employment, as well as information about your self-employment. To avoid delays, provide complete and correct information, particularly how you became unemployed, partially unemployed, or are not able or available to work due to COVID-19-related reasons.
Full Answer
How do I know if I am eligible for Pua benefits?
In order to determine eligibility for UI benefits, the EDD will conduct a wage investigation. If you are an employee but you do not have sufficient earnings within the past 18 months to establish eligibility for regular UI, then you may have the option to apply for PUA.
How do I file a Pua claim?
You can file a PUA claim through UI Online, just as you would for regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. The EDD will begin accepting on-line applications from new applicants on Tuesday, April 28.
How do I increase my Pua weekly benefit amount?
If the income information you provide indicates that you meet an annual earnings threshold of $17,368 or more, the EDD will work as quickly as possible to verify your income using other resources available to the Department in order to increase your PUA weekly benefit amount. If additional information is needed, the EDD will contact you. 8.
Can I reopen my Pua claim if my benefits have lapsed?
For those with a lapse in benefits who were getting PUA in the past, a new claim or action to reopen your existing claim could be required. But state unemployment agencies are required to notify on actions required once they update their systems for the extended weeks.
Are individuals eligible for PUA if they quit their job because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them.
Are self-employed, independent contractor and gig workers eligible for the new COVID-19 unemployment benefits?
See full answerSelf-employed workers, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and people who have not worked long enough to qualify for the other types of unemployment assistance may still qualify for PUA if they are otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of the applicable state law and certify that they are unemployed, partially unemployed or unable or unavailable to work for one of the following COVID-19 reasons:You have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have symptoms, and are seeking a medical diagnosis.A member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19.You are caring for a family member of a member of your household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.A child or other person in your household for whom you have primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of COVID-19 and the school or facility care is required for you to work.
What is the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program for COVID-19?
See full answerTo qualify for PUA benefits, you must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits, which are available retroactively starting with weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27, 2020, and ending on or before December 31, 2020.The amount of benefits paid out will vary by state and are calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts (WBA) provided under a state's unemployment insurance laws.
Can I remain on unemployment if my employer has reopened?
No. As a general matter, individuals receiving regular unemployment compensation must act upon any referral to suitable employment and must accept any offer of suitable employment. Barring unusual circumstances, a request that a furloughed employee return to his or her job very likely constitutes an offer of suitable employment that the employee must accept.
Who is considered to be essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Essential (critical infrastructure) workers include health care personnel and employees in other essential workplaces (e.g., first responders and grocery store workers).
Can I get unemployment assistance if I am partially employed under the CARES Act?
A gig economy worker, such as a driver for a ride-sharing service, is eligible for PUA provided that he or she is unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work for one or more of the qualifying reasons provided for by the CARES Act.
What if an employee refuses to come to work for fear of infection?
Your policies, that have been clearly communicated, should address this.Educating your workforce is a critical part of your responsibility.Local and state regulations may address what you have to do and you should align with them.
How often can you take Paxlovid?
“With Paxlovid, you take three pills, twice a day, for a total of five days," says Rachel Kenney, a pharmacist at Henry Ford Health. "It helps your body fight off the virus, preventing it from replicating before it becomes serious.”
What are the new changes to the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program?
Key changes announced included: Increased COVID EIDL Cap. The SBA lifted the COVID EIDL cap from $500,000 to $2 million. Loan funds can be used for any normal operating expenses and working capital, including payroll, purchasing equipment, and paying off debt.
Is there additional relief available if my regular unemployment compensation benefits do not provide adequate support?
See full answerThe new law creates the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC), which provides an additional $600 per week to individuals who are collecting regular UC (including Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), PEUC, PUA, Extended Benefits (EB), Short Time Compensation (STC), Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), and payments under the Self Employment Assistance (SEA) program). This benefit is available for weeks of unemployment beginning after the date on which your state entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before July 31, 2020.
Can an employee's temperature be taken by the employer when they report for work?
Businesses should follow CDC and FDA guidance for screening employees who have been exposed to COVID-19.Pre-screen employees for symptoms or fever before starting work.Employees with fever and symptoms should be advised to see a doctor for evaluation and should be deferred to Human Resources for next steps.
Is it mandatory to get a COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard applies to all employers with 100+ employees and requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested on a weekly basis and to have a negative test before coming to work.
What is PUA in unemployment?
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a federal program that was included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The program provides support for Americans who are unable to work due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but do not qualify for traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI).
Why is my unemployment claim pending?
In some cases, additional information must be obtained before payment can be made and your payment may take longer. Any claim you file will be backdated to the date you became unemployed. If you are eligible, you will be paid for all benefits due.
Should I certify weekly while on PUA?
Instead, PUA claimants should continue to certify weekly while unemployed to continue receiving the benefits they are eligible for. Claimants who are receiving traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI), should reapply if they continue to be unemployed when their benefit year has ended.
Overview
In March of 2020, the federal government created Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (or PUA), a program that provided support for Americans who were unable to work due to the Coronavirus pandemic but did not qualify for traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI). The Continued Assistance Act (CAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q) When must I provide my proof of employment, self-employment, or proof of the planned beginning of employment or self-employment?
What is PUA in unemployment?
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program. This is a newly available emergency unemployment assistance program under the federal CARES Act. PUA provides assistance for unemployed or partially unemployed individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance and who are unable or unavailable to work due to COVID-19 related ...
How much is PUA in 2020?
If you qualify for PUA the initial payments you will receive are as follows: $167.00 per week, for each week from February 2, 2020 to March 28, 2020 that you were unemployed due to a COVID-19 related reason . AND.
How often do you have to backdate your PUA?
If you qualify for your claim to be backdated to an earlier PUA effective date based on your last day of work, you could receive payment for prior weeks you were unemployed due to COVID-19. You will be required to provide the EDD eligibility information every two weeks. This is known as certifying for benefits.
When does PUA end?
Similarly, the PUA program has a legislative end date of 12/31/20, but for most Californians the last full week of benefits will end on 12/26/20. 1.
What does it mean when you collect unemployment?
This means that you were qualified for regular UI but have exhausted those benefits, as well as any extended benefits. 2.
When does the $600 CARES Act end?
Last week is week ending December 26, 2020.**. ** Under the CARES Act of 2020, the $600 additional benefits are available through 07/31/20. However, the U.S. DOL has issued guidance to clarify that, for most Californians, the last full week of benefits will end on 07/25/20. Similarly, the PUA program has a legislative end date of 12/31/20, ...
How much is the minimum weekly benefit?
Amount of Benefits. Minimum weekly benefit amount of $167 (but weekly amount may be higher and equal the amount provided under regular UI, depending on proof of prior earnings) PLUS $600 for weeks between March 29, 2020 to July 25, 2020 .**. When Benefits Start.
What is the PUA benefit for 2019?
Individuals who received at least $5,000 a year in self-employment income during 2019 now will receive an additional $100 weekly benefit, in addition to the benefit amounts they otherwise would be entitled to receive from regular state unemployment. Previously, such individuals were not eligible for PUA benefits if they received some regular state unemployment benefits for traditional employment, and regular state law benefits did not consider self-employment in calculating the benefit amounts. The new federally-funded “mixed earner” benefit is in addition to the $300 supplementary FPUC weekly benefit under FPUC.
What is PUA unemployment?
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was put in place primarily for those out-of-work Americans who are not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits and are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This group of jobless workers are generally self-employed (e.g. independent contractors, freelancers or gig economy workers) who did not contribute taxes towards regular state unemployment (1099 wages). The PUA program has been extended several times over the last year and you can jump to the relevant extension section via the links below for further information on each extension, including FAQs around the evolution of the program.
How long will unemployment benefits last?
For those who don’t qualify for state unemployment they can get benefits for between 39 and 46 weeks until the end of 2020. At this stage unless Congress extends the PUA program via a new stimulus package, ...
What is the stimulus package for unemployment?
The $900 billion COVID relief stimulus package, under the Continued Assistance Act (CAA) included funding for extending pandemic unemployment programs (PUA, PEUC) and providing supplementary FPUC un employment benefits at $300 per week for millions of unemployed or underemployed Americans. The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued final guidelines for state unemployment agencies on payments and eligibility (as done with the original program) and any delayed payments will be retroactively reimbursed.
How long is the PUA program?
The PUA program, designed for freelancers, gig workers and independent contractors or those that generally don’t qualify for regular state unemployment has been extended by another 29 weeks (though only covers 25 actual weeks) under the Biden Stimulus Plan (ARP) that has been passed into law.
Why is my PUA denied?
Other reasons PUA claims are being denied are due to ongoing “ glitches” in unemployment filing systems/websites that have required a lot more updates to support the new PUA provisions.
When will PUA benefits end in 2021?
After March 14, 2021, new claimants will no longer be permitted to apply for PUA benefits, but eligible individuals who have a PUA claim balance (or remaining weeks) as of March 14th, 2021 will continue to receive benefits until the week beginning April 5, 2021 until their claim balance is exhausted.
When will PUA benefits be retroactive?
For applications established on or prior to 12-26-20, benefit payments under PUA can be retroactive, for weeks of unemployment, partial employment, or inability to work due to COVID-19 reasons starting on or after January 27, 2020 (Effective date of 2-2-20).
How long is PUA?
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) PUA provides up to 79 weeks of benefits to qualifying individuals who are otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of applicable state law, except that they are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons, ...
Can I get PUA benefits after 12-6-20?
For applications on or after 12-27-20, benefits can only be retroactive starting on or after an Effective date of 12-6-20. The CARES Act specifies that PUA benefits cannot be paid for weeks of unemployment ending after September 4, 2021. Click here for PUA Claimant Guide File a regular unemployment claim.
