Topic Wiki

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If anyone would like to show her appreciation, click here: https://bit.ly/3fS4yDE
For the record, she has no idea that I am posting this.


!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 You need an employment offer that was then rescinded to prove this.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 470817 times)

Offline ae123

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1540 on: June 04, 2020, 12:00:46 PM »
Doesn't cover maternity or disability, but definitely covers lack of childcare for self-employed, hence me wondering about the truthfulness in certifying that there's no childcare available when maternity leave is also a factor.
Ok, I clarified with her.
For the question of are you not working due to children being home she answered yes (since even without having the baby she couldn't work due to her kids being home).
And for the question of are you looking for work she answered no (due to having a baby).
Is that how she should be answering?
And would that explain why she still received benefits?

Offline flatbush guy

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1541 on: June 04, 2020, 12:36:19 PM »
Do the $600 pua payments start from beginning of April?
Thanx in advance.

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1542 on: June 04, 2020, 12:46:00 PM »
Do the $600 pua payments start from beginning of April?
Thanx in advance.

Should start from the last week in March.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1543 on: June 04, 2020, 12:50:05 PM »
thx

Offline bubkiz

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1544 on: June 04, 2020, 02:40:35 PM »
State: NY

How is self employment income calculated for PUA? Is it based entirely off 2019 or does the amount earned in 2020 Jan-March play a factor? Is a profit and loss statement needed?

Thank you for this outstanding resource!

Offline ae123

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1545 on: June 04, 2020, 03:04:12 PM »
Ok, I clarified with her.
For the question of are you not working due to children being home she answered yes (since even without having the baby she couldn't work due to her kids being home).
And for the question of are you looking for work she answered no (due to having a baby).
Is that how she should be answering?
And would that explain why she still received benefits?
I was hoping cgr would chime in on this.

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1546 on: June 04, 2020, 03:13:55 PM »
State: NY

How is self employment income calculated for PUA? Is it based entirely off 2019 or does the amount earned in 2020 Jan-March play a factor? Is a profit and loss statement needed?

Thank you for this outstanding resource!

For claims with Benefit Year Start dates (depends on your layoff date) ranging from 04/01/20-06/30/20 it's based off of 2019 income.
If your claims Benefit Year Start date is after 04/01/20 you can send in a request to have them calculate your rate off your Alternate Base Period, which will include Jan-Mar of 2020.

You can figure out if this makes sense by using the calculator here: https://labor.ny.gov/benefit-rate-calculator/
Divide your total 2019 income in 4, and enter that amount into the first 4 quarters of the calculator. For the 5th quarter, total up your Jan-March 2020 income, and enter that amount.

You'll need to provide some sort of proof to establish an Alternate Base Period. Either copies of checks, a proforma P&L, or something similar.

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1547 on: June 04, 2020, 03:16:57 PM »
I was hoping cgr would chime in on this.

@cgr doesn't know the inner workings of the brain of the agent who reviewed her file ;)

Here's what I do know:
She's not lying so on her end she's protected
It also makes sense that she's receiving benefits because caring for kids at home exempts her from the needs to search for a job, so the reason why the answer is "no" is possibly a moot point and they're not even looking at it based on her first answer.

Offline bubkiz

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1548 on: June 04, 2020, 03:31:11 PM »
For claims with Benefit Year Start dates (depends on your layoff date) ranging from 04/01/20-06/30/20 it's based off of 2019 income.
If your claims Benefit Year Start date is after 04/01/20 you can send in a request to have them calculate your rate off your Alternate Base Period, which will include Jan-Mar of 2020.

You can figure out if this makes sense by using the calculator here: https://labor.ny.gov/benefit-rate-calculator/
Divide your total 2019 income in 4, and enter that amount into the first 4 quarters of the calculator. For the 5th quarter, total up your Jan-March 2020 income, and enter that amount.

You'll need to provide some sort of proof to establish an Alternate Base Period. Either copies of checks, a proforma P&L, or something similar.
The self-employment gig ended in March so he wants to file retroactively.
Total self-employment in 2019 was $3000 which is less than $2600 per quarter so the calculator is showing $0 benefit.Self employment in 2020 was $9000.
Does he need a minimum amount to qualify for PUA and does having more SE income in 2020 get him a higher rate?

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1549 on: June 04, 2020, 05:38:05 PM »
The self-employment gig ended in March so he wants to file retroactively.
Total self-employment in 2019 was $3000 which is less than $2600 per quarter so the calculator is showing $0 benefit.Self employment in 2020 was $9000.
Does he need a minimum amount to qualify for PUA and does having more SE income in 2020 get him a higher rate?

No minimum amount to qualify for PUA. He'll definitely get at least $182.

I've yet to figure out how they're determining rates for SE who had no/minimal 2019 income and are applying with mostly 2020 income. I do see Benefit Determinations coming in at more than the minimum, but I'm not clear on how they're determining it. I also don't think that they're taking the 2020 Q1 income and using that in lieu of all the previous quarters because that would give $504 to many, and that's not the case either...

My suggestion is that he include all his 2019 and 2020 income, and have them figure it out.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1550 on: June 04, 2020, 07:41:19 PM »
NJ.

Once you go back to work, and certify for that week and put in that you were paid more that the UI amount, it tells you your benefit amount is zero.

Are you now done with them? You no longer need to certify the following week that you are still working again?

Offline cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1551 on: June 04, 2020, 07:46:27 PM »
NJ.

Once you go back to work, and certify for that week and put in that you were paid more that the UI amount, it tells you your benefit amount is zero.

Are you now done with them? You no longer need to certify the following week that you are still working again?

You don't need to certify once you're back at work.

The only time I'd recommend it is if you sometimes earn less than your PWBR and sometimes more and you want it all properly recorded.

Offline beeweegee

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1552 on: June 04, 2020, 07:52:05 PM »
If someone certified for a week that then said it needed a manual review, and the next week they certified (at the same time) said "this week is not payable at this time," is that because the previous week needs to be reviewed first? If so, should they hold off on certifying additional weeks until its clarified?

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1553 on: June 04, 2020, 07:52:09 PM »
I'd like to put out the call once again for people to support the efforts of @cgr by donating to the link in the wiki. She answers questions all day and night. The LRRC gets donations and a lot of government funding. She has evolved into a one-woman organization, answering all the questions for free.

I'm certain that she could advertise "Get help with UI for $100/hour" and she would have steady business. She chooses to be a free resource to everyone here.

If you got help from her, give a few dollars. You can edit the link in the wiki (after you copy it to your address bar) to put in whatever amount you wish to give.
I think it's time for a BUMP. Over 100 pages (on my default DDF settings) and she's still going strong, day and night. Just imaging the cost of consulting an accountant with your questions, and she seems to know more about this topic than any accountant I know.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1554 on: June 04, 2020, 08:29:48 PM »
I think it's time for a BUMP. Over 100 pages (on my default DDF settings) and she's still going strong, day and night. Just imaging the cost of consulting an accountant with your questions, and she seems to know more about this topic than any accountant I know.
Easier if it's here.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=ZJYQXNG59C4NU&currency_code=USD&amount=18&source=url

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1555 on: June 04, 2020, 08:54:42 PM »
If someone certified for a week that then said it needed a manual review, and the next week they certified (at the same time) said "this week is not payable at this time," is that because the previous week needs to be reviewed first? If so, should they hold off on certifying additional weeks until its clarified?
This happened to my wife and she is still certifying every week.
PUTPAC = PITA

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1556 on: June 04, 2020, 09:06:22 PM »
This happened to my wife and she is still certifying every week.
And each week, it says it's not payable at this time? How long has it been going on?

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1557 on: June 04, 2020, 10:23:17 PM »
And each week, it says it's not payable at this time? How long has it been going on?
It said it for the many weeks that I certified with the first week. Then it said it during the next two weeks as well. My account online shows a scheduled phone call for next week so hopefully that will clarify things.
PUTPAC = PITA

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1558 on: June 05, 2020, 01:38:06 AM »
If my wife was approved for $231 NJ minimum PUA and she made less than that a week would it disqualify her from getting at all.
Also I got an email to fill out with more wage information for her...if don't fill it out will I still get the $231 a week or will they kick me off? Thanks!!

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #1559 on: June 05, 2020, 09:33:09 AM »
It said it for the many weeks that I certified with the first week. Then it said it during the next two weeks as well. My account online shows a scheduled phone call for next week so hopefully that will clarify things.
Did you report self employed income. From the many reports I have heard, this happens whenever someone reports self employed income. They then receive an adjudication form to fill out with all the details of the income. This will happen every week that self employed income is reported. Additionally, your claim will also not be able to be paid as long as this is not resolved, even if the next weeks don't have self employed income.
I personally would continue certifying. Why would you not?
My question is, is this due to some rule against earning self employed income, (and in that case, would that be a holdover from pre covid days, or still a problem), or if this simply triggers an automatic manual review just to make sure everything is clear and no fraud. Due to the current situation, it makes sense that it'll take forever.