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!WHEN ASKING A QUESTION POST YOUR LOCATION OR OTHERS WILL BE UNABLE TO ASSIST!

You are eligible for the $600 weekly FPUC payment if you are on any sort of unemployment, including PUA and partial unemployment. This is available for claims dated 3/28/20-7/31/20. The federal supplement does not affect eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP. It does affect SNAP and TANF.

If you filed for UI more than a week after your layoff date, you are eligible for backpay.

The obligatory waiting week has been waived, so your claim will process with a date a week earlier than what you apply for, to account for the waiting week waiver.

NY
There is a streamlined application process so that all applicants complete the same form, regardless of which program they'll eventually be eligible for.
PUA:
Unemployment for the self-employed. Acceptable proof of income includes prior year tax returns, 1099, P&L, bank statements and more. You will most likely be approved for standard UI even if you're an independent contractor, if you had W2 employment within the last 18 months.
If you are assigned the minimum rate of $182 when it should be higher based on your income, complete this form, fax it in, then send it again via the message center (Subject1: "Benefit Rate and Monetary Determination" Subject2: "Some of my wages are missing or incorrect") so that they definitely got it. Your rate should be adjusted in less than a week. You are also entitled to get your updated rate on all prior weeks.
You are also eligible for PUA if you landed a job but where unable to start due to the pandemic. You need an employment offer that was then rescinded to prove this.
PUA is available for a total of 46 weeks from 02/02/20-12/31/20.
Partial UI:
You can apply for partial UI if you're working 3 days or less, and earning $504/weekly or less. The DOL deducts 25% of your base rate for every day that you work. (You receive 100% of your rate if you don't work at all, 75% if you work 1 day, 50% if you work 2 days, and 25% if you work 3 days).
PEUC:
For those on regular unemployment- you will receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits after you've exhausted your initial 26 weeks. This benefit is available through 12/31/20.
Extended Benefits:
For those on regular unemployment- you will receive an additional 20 weeks of benefits after you've exhausted your initial 26 weeks and your PEUC weeks. This makes for a total of 59 weeks that you can possible receive unemployment benefits. This benefit is available as long as the state's unemployment rate is high.
Requesting Backpay:
The NY DOL is using Docusign to allow claimants to file backpay. You should receive an email from the DOL with instructions. The email subject is "Action Required - NYS DOL Certification for Back Week Payments". This might end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check that as well.
If you don't receive this email or you don't want to wait, call the NY DOL and speak to an agent to certify for backpay over the phone.
It takes a little less than a week from when you complete backdated certifications until your claims are processed and funds are released.
$0 Benefit Determination:
Email @cgr for instructions on a fix for this issue

You can email @cgr at chaiplus1@gmail.com for help with any unemployment questions.


NJ
Apply here.
PUA:
Unemployment for the self-employed. Acceptable proof of income includes prior year tax returns, 1099, P&L, bank statements and more. You will most likely be approved for standard UI even if you're an independent contractor, if you had W2 employment within the last 18 months.
At this point it looks like claimants are still being given $231- the minimum PUA rate- regardless of prior income.
You are also eligible for PUA if you landed a job but where unable to start due to the pandemic. You need an employment offer that was then rescinded to prove this.
PUA is available for a total of 46 weeks from 02/02/20-12/31/20.
Partial UI:
You can apply for partial UI if your hours have been reduced by 20% or more. You'll be allowed to earn an additional 20% above your rate determination. Your earnings will then be deducted from your rate, and you'll receive the balance as your UI payment.
PEUC:
For those on regular unemployment- you will receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits after you've exhausted your initial 26 weeks. This benefit is available through 12/31/20.
Extended Benefits:
For those on regular unemployment- you will receive an additional 20 weeks of benefits after you've exhausted your initial 26 weeks and your PEUC weeks. This makes for a total of 59 weeks that you can possible receive unemployment benefits. This benefit is available as long as the state's unemployment rate is high.
Requesting Backpay:
You can request backpay if you are lucky enough to get through to an agent.

Here is a guide for NJ residents from the LRRC.
« Last edited by cgr on November 27, 2020, 09:48:37 AM »

Author Topic: Unemployment Help  (Read 478100 times)

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2920 on: August 15, 2020, 10:19:46 PM »
So do we have to try and get through to someone to change it to UI? I don't really see how to continue answering the questionnaire... Should we try to contact the employer to see what they responded?

I don't see how the employer could have preemptively have placed him on PUA. This is not a process that the states have figured out yet... Are you sure he doesn't meet this criteria based on the last 12-18 months of employment?

Does he have insufficient work history? That would put him on PUA (earned at least $200 per week during 20 weeks or at least $10,000), or if he's 1099 and not W2.

Another possibility:
he worked for a non-profit that did not pay SUTA tax which means he's not eligible for regular UI.

Back to your dilemma though- why would PUA mean that his only option is quarantine/isolation? There should be some other option that fits his situation without the need to isolate.

Offline joe1234

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2921 on: August 16, 2020, 12:02:34 AM »
Are you able to see your claim date when you log into your account?
Even when I certified it didn’t show up. Is there any other way for me to find out?

Offline Luvisrael

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Offline flyingace

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2923 on: August 16, 2020, 09:37:11 AM »
I don't see how the employer could have preemptively have placed him on PUA. This is not a process that the states have figured out yet... Are you sure he doesn't meet this criteria based on the last 12-18 months of employment?

Another possibility:
he worked for a non-profit that did not pay SUTA tax which means he's not eligible for regular UI.

Back to your dilemma though- why would PUA mean that his only option is quarantine/isolation? There should be some other option that fits his situation without the need to isolate.
Maybe the employer denied the claim and they just put him on PUA without going through an inquiry?
At any rate the PUA questions for NJ do not give any option along the line of I'm looking for a job but having a hard time due to Covid.....It's all related to being sick or caring for a family member or actually losing the job due to Covid. Hence, the dilemma.

Offline skv

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2924 on: August 16, 2020, 10:39:12 AM »
Maybe the employer denied the claim and they just put him on PUA without going through an inquiry?
At any rate the PUA questions for NJ do not give any option along the line of I'm looking for a job but having a hard time due to Covid.....It's all related to being sick or caring for a family member or actually losing the job due to Covid. Hence, the dilemma.

If he is eligible for UI then he doesn't need a Covid related reason. If he is only eligible for PUA then he does need a covid related reason to be out of a job. Looking for a job isn't a choice because it isn't a valid reason. If he can check off "My workplace closed or my hours were reduced due to Covid 19" then that works. If he can't and he has no other Covid related claim then he isn't eligible and shouldn't be claiming.

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2925 on: August 16, 2020, 11:50:50 AM »
If he is eligible for UI then he doesn't need a Covid related reason. If he is only eligible for PUA then he does need a covid related reason to be out of a job. Looking for a job isn't a choice because it isn't a valid reason. If he can check off "My workplace closed or my hours were reduced due to Covid 19" then that works. If he can't and he has no other Covid related claim then he isn't eligible and shouldn't be claiming.

What does an SE whose business hasn't picked up yet to pre-pandemic levels answer?

Offline flyingace

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2926 on: August 16, 2020, 12:44:25 PM »
If he is eligible for UI then he doesn't need a Covid related reason. If he is only eligible for PUA then he does need a covid related reason to be out of a job. Looking for a job isn't a choice because it isn't a valid reason. If he can check off "My workplace closed or my hours were reduced due to Covid 19" then that works. If he can't and he has no other Covid related claim then he isn't eligible and shouldn't be claiming.
We do not know why he's on PUA instead of UI. How would we go about inquiring/disputing the decision at this point? Can I see the determination anywhere in his account?

Offline skv

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2927 on: August 16, 2020, 01:04:39 PM »
What does an SE whose business hasn't picked up yet to pre-pandemic levels answer?

I don't know the exact wording by heart, but there is an option for "I am self-employed/independant contractor/gig worker and my ability to work has been severely impacted by Covid-19"

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2928 on: August 16, 2020, 01:06:37 PM »
We do not know why he's on PUA instead of UI. How would we go about inquiring/disputing the decision at this point? Can I see the determination anywhere in his account?

Is he paid on a w2? Has he worked at least 20 weeks in his base year earning at least $200 per week?
If the answer to either one of those is no then he isn't eligible for regular UI. As mentioned before, working for a non-profit that doesn't pay into UI would be another reason he wouldn't be eligible.

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2929 on: August 16, 2020, 01:10:09 PM »
I don't know the exact wording by heart, but there is an option for "I am self-employed/independant contractor/gig worker and my ability to work has been severely impacted by Covid-19"

Hmmm. The wording wouldn't work in this case then... pity.

Offline flyingace

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2930 on: August 16, 2020, 02:07:07 PM »
Is he paid on a w2? Has he worked at least 20 weeks in his base year earning at least $200 per week?
If the answer to either one of those is no then he isn't eligible for regular UI. As mentioned before, working for a non-profit that doesn't pay into UI would be another reason he wouldn't be eligible.
Don't know the breakdown of the base year, but total W2 for 2019 is just under 10000.

Offline skv

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2931 on: August 16, 2020, 02:24:11 PM »
Don't know the breakdown of the base year, but total W2 for 2019 is just under 10000.

From the DOL website: "To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits in 2020, you must have earned at least $200 per week during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period, or you must have earned at least $10,000 in total covered employment during the base year period."

If he applied Jan - March 2020, his base year is Oct 1, 2018 - Sept 20, 2019. If he applied April - June 2020, his base year is Jan 1, 2019 - Dec 31, 2019. From what you are saying it seems he doesn't meet the at least 10,000 requirement. See if he worked 20 weeks in his base year and earned at least $200 for those weeks. If not, it would seem that he is out of luck and is not eligible for UI if he doesn't have a Covid 19 related reason.


Offline flyingace

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2932 on: August 16, 2020, 02:33:15 PM »
From the DOL website: "To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits in 2020, you must have earned at least $200 per week during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period, or you must have earned at least $10,000 in total covered employment during the base year period."

If he applied Jan - March 2020, his base year is Oct 1, 2018 - Sept 20, 2019. If he applied April - June 2020, his base year is Jan 1, 2019 - Dec 31, 2019. From what you are saying it seems he doesn't meet the at least 10,000 requirement. See if he worked 20 weeks in his base year and earned at least $200 for those weeks. If not, it would seem that he is out of luck and is not eligible for UI if he doesn't have a Covid 19 related reason.


Thanks. He applied in June so the base year is 2019. Would he be eligible for UI if he worked 200 a week for 20 weeks?

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2933 on: August 16, 2020, 02:36:41 PM »
From the DOL website: "To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits in 2020, you must have earned at least $200 per week during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period, or you must have earned at least $10,000 in total covered employment during the base year period."

If he applied Jan - March 2020, his base year is Oct 1, 2018 - Sept 20, 2019. If he applied April - June 2020, his base year is Jan 1, 2019 - Dec 31, 2019. From what you are saying it seems he doesn't meet the at least 10,000 requirement. See if he worked 20 weeks in his base year and earned at least $200 for those weeks. If not, it would seem that he is out of luck and is not eligible for UI if he doesn't have a Covid 19 related reason.

While it's true that he'd be placed on PUA if he doesn't meet the criteria, he should still be eligible even with no covid reason. After all one of the reasons PUA was created is to give those not usually eligible for UI the ability to collect, such as those with minimal wage history.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2934 on: August 16, 2020, 02:42:00 PM »
While it's true that he'd be placed on PUA if he doesn't meet the criteria, he should still be eligible even with no covid reason. After all one of the reasons PUA was created is to give those not usually eligible for UI the ability to collect, such as those with minimal wage history.
It seems that NJ is not allowing for that automatically. It's a hassle to try and call since he can't really answer without me there to interpret...so a callback from DOL might just make things worse!

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2935 on: August 16, 2020, 03:30:37 PM »
While it's true that he'd be placed on PUA if he doesn't meet the criteria, he should still be eligible even with no covid reason. After all one of the reasons PUA was created is to give those not usually eligible for UI the ability to collect, such as those with minimal wage history.

Interesting. I didn't understand it that way. It seemed to me (I don't have time to look up the wording now) that PUA was created for those not typically eligible for UI if they were impacted by Covid 19. I didn't see anywhere that anyone that lost unemployment would be eligible. Even by name it is called Pandemic Unemployment...

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2936 on: August 16, 2020, 03:41:35 PM »
Interesting. I didn't understand it that way. It seemed to me (I don't have time to look up the wording now) that PUA was created for those not typically eligible for UI if they were impacted by Covid 19. I didn't see anywhere that anyone that lost unemployment would be eligible. Even by name it is called Pandemic Unemployment...

Hypothetical: how would someone who was laid off due to Covid and is W2 but with minimal wage history certify?

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2937 on: August 16, 2020, 04:22:22 PM »
Hypothetical: how would someone who was laid off due to Covid and is W2 but with minimal wage history certify?

There is an option for "My workplace closed or my hours were reduced due to Covid 19"

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2938 on: August 16, 2020, 04:24:20 PM »
There is an option for "My workplace closed or my hours were reduced due to Covid 19"
Without noting SE/gig worker? In that case I'd say @flyingace use that option.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2939 on: August 16, 2020, 04:29:41 PM »
Without noting SE/gig worker? In that case I'd say @flyingace use that option.

See screenshot above. It clearly says to select the ways that Covid 19 has impacted your employment. I would take that to mean that that is a requirement to be able to certify. How would you understand it otherwise?