How to apply for unemployment PUA benefits in California, Texas, Florida, New York...
Those who may not have been able to apply for unemployment benefits in the past can now file for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) can be applied for by many of those who previously would have been excluded from any unemployment benefits, another of the measures being taking to minimise the crisis.
What is PUA?
PUA provides up to 39 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, as defined in the CARES Act.
Benefit payments under PUA are retroactive, for weeks of unemployment, partial employment, or inability to work due to Covid-19 reasons starting on or after January 27, 2020. The CARES Act specifies that PUA benefits cannot be paid for weeks of unemployment ending after December 31, 2020.
Filing for PUA
Traditionally a number of people have been ineligible for benefits due to being made unemployed. This included those that were self-employed, those that work in the gig economy, and independent contractors. Well, as part of the crisis management strategy of the US government the criteria has now been extended.
The first thing to know is that you can manage everything from your own personal dashboard. This will allow you to check your status and all the payment information, among other elements.
Check if you are eligible for PUA before filing here.
For all other States click here
Documentation required to prove previous income
Acceptable documentation of wages can include but is not limited to:
- 2019 tax returns
- your 2019 1099 form(s)
- paycheck stubs
- bank receipts
- ledgers
- contracts
- invoices; and/or billing statements.
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What amount can I expect with a second possible stimulus check? - read
Where to claim unemployment benefits: phone, online - read