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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 You need an employment offer that was then rescinded to prove this.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 477447 times)

Online cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2000 on: June 28, 2020, 04:16:02 PM »
yes id like to go with the 8 week option. so if payment was received may 1, can i safely go with july 1 for unemployment.  all the ppp money was spent by june 30..
Correct.
If you don't have an open UI claim from before PPP, you can actually date your claim as early as 6/26. It'll make a difference between that and July 1 because a UI week runs from weekend to weekend. (Exact days depend on the state).

Offline nucheiner

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2001 on: June 28, 2020, 09:16:31 PM »
DP. Was successful in getting an approval for Dependency Benefits. Dunno how this works retroactively. (This person actually sent in twice, once without the proof of dependents and was mailed back by NJ DOL, the other was processed fine.)

Offline pointer

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2002 on: June 28, 2020, 09:17:43 PM »
DP. Was successful in getting an approval for Dependency Benefits. Dunno how this works retroactively. (This person actually sent in twice, once without the proof of dependents and was mailed back by DOL, the other was processed fine.)
Pua or regular unemployment?

Offline nucheiner

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2003 on: June 28, 2020, 09:31:04 PM »
Left a claim idle for 6 weeks as partial employment earnings were too high to get anything anyways. Now that earnings are back down tried again to certify. However it needed the claim to be reasserted. After doing so it still isn't allowing to re-certify and is sentencing the person to call-in. (The claimant has limited internet so she didn't bother making the effort to certify for zero).

Was it a bad idea not to keep re-certifying?

Offline nucheiner

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2004 on: June 28, 2020, 09:32:19 PM »
Pua or regular unemployment?
Regular. (I'm pretty certain)

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2005 on: June 28, 2020, 11:12:42 PM »
@cgr
Just to confirm: SE (Schedule C) that is collecting unemployment, can still apply for PPP and either: 1. They will have to take a salary for 8 weeks and "lose" the UI for those weeks 2. Depending on amount of the loan can still qualify for partial UI. Is this correct?
I just want to make sure there is no inherent issue with benefitting from both (heard a grapevine rumor that LLRC said "it you get PPP you lose your UI as the government did not intend for you to benefit from both")

Offline Fish Tank

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2006 on: June 28, 2020, 11:43:01 PM »
When does the NJ unemployment website update the weekly schedule for certifying weekly benefits? IIRC it was always updated over the weekend.

Its Sunday night, and still no update for this week. Am I missing something?

Offline TBD

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2007 on: June 29, 2020, 12:01:54 AM »
@cgr
Just to confirm: SE (Schedule C) that is collecting unemployment, can still apply for PPP and either: 1. They will have to take a salary for 8 weeks and "lose" the UI for those weeks 2. Depending on amount of the loan can still qualify for partial UI. Is this correct?
I just want to make sure there is no inherent issue with benefitting from both (heard a grapevine rumor that LLRC said "it you get PPP you lose your UI as the government did not intend for you to benefit from both")
Firstt apply for PPP before you lose out the funds... You can decide later if you want to accept the funds if you wanna apply for forgivness and all other questions but APPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPLY already before you lose out

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2008 on: June 29, 2020, 09:24:28 AM »
My wife is returning to work soon and we would like to still qualify for the partial PUA bonus. In order to qualify, her income cannot exceed a certain level. Does anyone know if pre-tax contributions to 401(k) plans or FSA plans would reduce income to qualify for partial PUA?

We live in NJ.

Online cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2009 on: June 29, 2020, 09:48:27 AM »
@cgr
Just to confirm: SE (Schedule C) that is collecting unemployment, can still apply for PPP and either: 1. They will have to take a salary for 8 weeks and "lose" the UI for those weeks 2. Depending on amount of the loan can still qualify for partial UI. Is this correct?
I just want to make sure there is no inherent issue with benefitting from both (heard a grapevine rumor that LLRC said "it you get PPP you lose your UI as the government did not intend for you to benefit from both")

Correct-
they can also spread out over 24 weeks or 2.5 months as discussed above.

The LRRC isn't wrong in saying that- they're also not right. You're not intended to benefit from both because the assumption is that most people earn above their WBR. That isn't true in the current environment when a huge % of W2 employees are only partially employed, or for Schedule C who often report very little income because of deductions and thereby have PPP affected to the point where it's below your WBR. As long as you're following the rules of both programs, you're not defrauding anyone.

I totally concur with @thebudgetdeals- you take the money and you'll figure out the details of how and when to spend once you're approved.

Online cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2010 on: June 29, 2020, 09:58:20 AM »
My wife is returning to work soon and we would like to still qualify for the partial PUA bonus. In order to qualify, her income cannot exceed a certain level. Does anyone know if pre-tax contributions to 401(k) plans or FSA plans would reduce income to qualify for partial PUA?

We live in NJ.

https://nj.gov/labor/handbook/chap1/chap1sec4ContributionReports.html#6

The following types of remuneration are also considered wages:
...
4. Employee payments to IRA or other deferred compensation plans that are withheld from gross remuneration.
5. Employer contributions to employees’ cash or deferred arrangements under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k), to the extent that the employee could have elected to receive cash in lieu of making contributions.
...
7. Employer contributions on behalf of, or reimbursements to, an employee under a Dependent Care Assistance program.
8. If a Dependent Care Assistance program is financed by an employee’s voluntary salary reduction, remuneration will be that amount the employee could have received in lieu of making the contribution.

Doesn't mention FSA but has rules for Dependent Care so might be the same.

Bottom line: if you can elect to receive the contributions as wages instead, it's considered wages. If you can't elect to receive it, it's not.
If she's contributing out of her own paycheck after her gross wages, it's definitely considered wages.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2011 on: June 29, 2020, 10:11:56 AM »
Thanks.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2012 on: June 29, 2020, 01:36:26 PM »
must seem like an obvious question but if I don't certify  i wont get money right?

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2013 on: June 29, 2020, 01:39:25 PM »
And i filled and claimed for the 2 weeks before I started my new job (I got from 4-29 to 5-9 then got a job) anyone have any luck getting back pay (I lost my job on march 14th... so there is like 1.5 months i could get for)

Offline YitzyS

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2014 on: June 29, 2020, 01:40:14 PM »
And i filled and claimed for the 2 weeks before I started my new job (I got from 4-29 to 5-9 then got a job) anyone have any luck getting back pay (I lost my job on march 14th... so there is like 1.5 months i could get for)
Is your location Dallas? Because this varies state to state.

Online cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2015 on: June 29, 2020, 01:41:43 PM »
must seem like an obvious question but if I don't certify  i wont get money right?

Correct.

And i filled and claimed for the 2 weeks before I started my new job (I got from 4-29 to 5-9 then got a job) anyone have any luck getting back pay (I lost my job on march 14th... so there is like 1.5 months i could get for)

You're eligible for backpay, but how easy it is to get depends on the state you're filing in.
Note that your claim must be valid from that date to be able to get backpay. If it doesn't have the correct claim start date, you'll need to revise it with an agent before you can get backpay.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2016 on: June 29, 2020, 01:44:34 PM »
Correct.

You're eligible for backpay, but how easy it is to get depends on the state you're filing in.
Note that your claim must be valid from that date to be able to get backpay. If it doesn't have the correct claim start date, you'll need to revise it with an agent before you can get backpay.

Its NJ but i have had no luck calling i have heard to call exactly at 740am anyone else hear this?

Online cgr

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2017 on: June 29, 2020, 01:50:07 PM »
Its NJ but i have had no luck calling i have heard to call exactly at 740am anyone else hear this?

NJ doesn't have an automated backpay system in place.
Good luck getting through to an agent... don't like using the word impossible but it's pretty close.

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2018 on: June 29, 2020, 02:00:35 PM »
Its NJ but i have had no luck calling i have heard to call exactly at 740am anyone else hear this?
?

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Re: Unemployment Help
« Reply #2019 on: June 29, 2020, 02:06:39 PM »
?

I never updated my location since I moved like 2 years ago :) Still hoping to move back soon