On April 29, 2020, Governor Murphy announced that self-employed and gig workers and independent contractors will begin receiving notice about their unemployment benefit status and will begin receiving payments by the week of May 4, 2020. Though these workers, which includes freelancers, are not eligible for the traditional unemployment benefits, they may be eligible for assistance on a federal level.

 

Self-employed, independent contractors and others who are not usually eligible for unemployment insurance benefits — may be eligible for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA is a new program authorized by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide unemployment benefits to workers not eligible for regular unemployment. The expanded CARES Act provides that gig workers in the U.S. may be eligible for 39 weeks of unemployment benefit. This includes the regular 26 weeks with an additional 13 weeks and an extra $600 weekly benefit. 

 

Those that are self-employed, independent contractors and others not eligible for regular unemployment who have already applied for state unemployment do not need to do anything else right now. Those that have not yet applied for state unemployment benefits yet, instructions can be found here.

Laddey, Clark, & Ryan, LLP, remains fully operational during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Please rest assured that our attorneys, paralegals, and staff continue to be available to you and to fulfill your evolving legal, business, and personal needs. Throughout this difficult period, you can expect that the team at Laddey, Clark, & Ryan will continue to answer your emails and calls promptly and be completely available to you, exemplifying the client service and responsiveness we have always been committed to providing.