JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Labor has begun processing unemployment claims for self-employed workers and others who don't qualify for unemployment benefits and have been impacted by the coronavirus.
With a new law passed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, self-employed workers now qualify for assistance under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. However, most self-employed workers who file a claim have received notice that they're "not an insured worker." That's because they're not covered under the regular unemployment insurance system, the Missouri Department of Labor said.
The department gave the following instructions for self-employed workers who have not yet filed a claim:
- Select "none" when asked for which states they have worked, unless they've worked for an employer in the past 18 months, in which case they could be eligible for regular unemployment assistance.
- Wait for a notification from the Division of Unemployment Security with further instructions on what is needed to finish filing for the PUA. Depending on how applicants select to be notified, they will receive an email the next day or will be physically mailed the instructions.
For those who have already filed the claim and received the "not an insured worker" notification, the Division of Unemployment Security will contact them mid- to late-week with further instructions on what is needed to finish filing.
Self-employed workers will have to provide proof of employment, such as business cards, advertisements, telephone listings and business licenses.
They can also choose to provide proof of earnings, which could increase the amount of weekly benefits they receive.
Under the PUA program, those who qualify are eligible for weekly benefits between $133 and $320 per week, as well at a $600 supplement under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.
For more information or to file a claim, go to the Missouri Department of Labor's website.
The Missouri Department of Labor also has plans to roll out a program next week for those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits. Under the program, an extra 14 weeks of unemployment would be provided. Those who are possibly eligible for the program will be notified once it is active.
The Department of Unemployment Security encourages those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and still have an active benefit year to keep filing weekly payment requests.
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