Looking For Work As An Independent Contractor
With digital marketing and social media having such a big impact on todays job market, how we define looking for work has drastically changed.
In the same interview with Forbes, Bruce Brumberg, JD asked whether social media promotions, such as Instagram posts of new graphic designs or samples of photography counted as proof of looking for work.
Amanda Thibodeau responded with: These may qualify. Each states program lays out what types of work search activities must be reported each week, such as responding to job postings or sending out résumés. Given the unique situations gig workers and freelancers are involved in, it is likely the states will continue to be flexible on their work search requirements.
How Do I File For Unemployment Benefits In Minnesota
You should file a Minnesota unemployment application as soon as you are terminated from your job. Because the process can take several weeks, it is important to get started as soon as possible.
1. During the Minnesota unemployment application process youll need to supply the following information:
- Mailing address and phone number
- Drivers license or other government issued identification number
- Social Security number
- Employment history for the past 18 monthsemployer name, address, and telephone number, dates of employment , wage rate, reason you stopped working there
2. You can file your unemployment claim online through Minnesotas UI website. UIMN also offers limited phone and TTY service if needed.
3. After up you file a Minnesota unemployment application, know that there is a waiting period of up to three weeks. After this time, if approved, you can begin receiving benefits. Note: Due to the increased volume of claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, wait times may take longer than usual.
4. If you have been approved, your Minnesota unemployment compensation will be delivered weekly. You can receive up to $740 per week depending on how much you made while previously working.
5. Minnesota unemployment laws require you to provide proof that youre searching for new work. This can be done online through the Minnesota unemployment website or over the phone. DEED maintains a list of industries and businesses that are hiring during COVID-19.
Always Negotiate A Severance And Get Laid Off
Hopefully you have not been laid off yet and are just planning ahead. But if you have been laid off, you absolutely should claim unemployment insurance ASAP. You have every right to collect unemployment insurance every week for ~26 weeks from your state because your firm and you paid into your unemployment benefits while working.
If you havent been laid off yet, good. Never quit your job, get laid off. If you get laid off, you can collect unemployment benefits. If you quit your job, you cannot qualify for unemployment benefits because the government will rightfully reason that you dont need unemployment benefits since you quit.
Further, you should always try and get laid off and negotiate a severance. Not only can you collect unemployment benefits, you can potentially get a severance check that pays you 1-3 weeks of salary for every year you worked. You may also be able to receive all your deferred compensation as well.
I negotiated a severance in 2012 and received a six-figure severance check and ALL my deferred stock and cash compensation that paid out until 2017. Thats 5 years worth of income. If I quit, I would have got nothing!
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Buy And Sell Domain Names
A domain name is just a website address and there are lots of extensions .
They cost as little as $0.99 to register with GoDaddy.com yet premium domain names can fetch $1,000s if not millions when sold on. In 2007 VacationRentals.com went for a cool $35m!
Now you’re probably not going to come across anything like that, but you can still turn a quick profit with a bit of searching. The trick is to find available domain names which have some commercial value, snap them up and then list them for sale on a site like Sedo.com.
Sell All Your Old Cds Games And Movies
If you are looking to make a very quick buck, then selling your old bits and bobs that are cluttering up your room is a good idea.
The best thing about it is that you can rip all the songs and films onto your laptop or external hard drive before selling them. This means that you are only really selling the plastic and artwork!
You can earn anything from 10p to £20 per item, and the earnings can really add up if you have a large collection. Whilst you’re at it, see if your parents have any ‘clutter’ they’d be happy to see the back of.
You can also sell almost anything for free on Amazon Marketplace or Preloved and sites like MusicMagpie will pay you instantly for sending in unwanted items.
For more tips and places to sell check out our guide on selling DVDs, CDs and games.
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Easy Ways To Make Money When Youre Unemployed
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Valerie David
Lifestyle and Career Expert
Unemployed professionals arrive at their shared situation through many different paths, including resignation, layoffs or redundancy. You may also be a student yet to land their first job, or a consultant waiting for your contract to be renewed. However you got here, the survival guide to unemployment comprises staying positive, practicing self-care and staying on top of your financials.
We know that you still need time to peruse job listings and prepare your CV, so weve put together a list of money-making ideas that wont interfere with your ultimate career goals.
Consider Starting A Business
Is now really a good time to start a business? Opportunity sometimes springs out of extraordinary circumstances. For many who have been furloughed or laid off during the pandemicor who’ve needed to stay home with school-age childrennecessity has been a motivator. If you have in-demand skills to share, a sure-fire product or service idea and the resources to launch and market a business, starting your own business could be more feasible than you think. Ask yourself these questions:
Do you have a skill you can market? Suppose you’ve been laid off from your job as a human resources manager. Could you outsource your skills to local businesses by the hour? You might be able to recoup your income and retain the flexibility to work from home and set your own hours.
Do you have an idea that solves a problem? Maybe you’ve invented a marketable product. Or you’ve cooked up the perfect recipe for a mobile, contact-free dessert delivery service. You may even see an opportunity to step into a local business someone is trying to sell. While it’s essential to think through the market challenges of starting a business in 2021, viable markets still exist. Your pandemic business idea may still have legs once the pandemic is over, or you may be able to evolve as the market changes.
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Report Work And Earnings
If you work while receiving unemployment benefits, you must report the money you earn when filing your Weekly Certification. You can earn up to 20% of your weekly benefit amount without penalty. Earnings over this amount are deducted from your weekly benefits.
- Always report your income for the week that you worked. Do not wait until you are paid to report that income.
- You must report all forms of income, including weekly earnings, retirement, severance, separation pay, wages in lieu of notice and workers’ compensation.
- Failure to report income will result in you having to repay any overpayment of benefits.
Report Work and Earnings Video
Restrictions On Starting A Business While On Unemployment
“There’s no prohibition that denies people the right to start a business during unemployment,” Ward says. “The only restriction will be in terms of the amount of available time you have to invest in your business.”
Your time might be limited because of the requirement that you actively seek employmentand be available if a job presents itselfwhile you’re receiving unemployment benefits. The exact requirements vary based on your state labor department’s rules. Look up your state’s requirements on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, CareerOneStop.
One thing you can count on is that, should you make any money from your new venture while receiving unemployment benefits, you will have to report those funds to the unemployment office. Depending on your state, your benefits could decrease or disappear.
Samuel Otto, CPA and founder of Uncle Sam’s Accounting, shares his experience.
“During the first several weeks of setting up my business, I did not generate much in the way of revenue,” he says. “So I filed for unemployment. I did report the little revenue I had gotten and the fact that I was doing some self-employment. I was still granted the normal unemployment benefits, plus the $600 pandemic assistance. After several weeks, I started earning an income again. I stopped filing for unemployment as, ethically and legally, I no longer needed the benefits.”
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If You Lose Your Job But Have A Side Gig
You’ll qualify for unemployment if you lose your job through no fault of your own and will receive benefits based on your previous wages. If you’re still bringing in income through a side hustle, such as by building websites for clients through Fiverr or selling through your Etsy shop, you’ll need to include that when you certify your weekly benefits with your state unemployment office.
Evermore tells CNBC Make It that any taxable earnings, including those made from independent contract or freelance work, will be considered in your unemployment filings. What you make from your side gigs can lower the amount you receive from unemployment that week, or it could deem you ineligible for benefits for the week entirely. Many states allow you to earn up to a certain percentage of your benefit amount through other work, before your payment is reduced.
Failure to report income is classified as unemployment insurance fraud. Consequences vary by state and can include having to pay back benefits plus interest, penalty fees, ineligibility for future benefits and criminal prosecution.
How Do I Know If I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program was made to help workers who wouldnt otherwise qualify for unemployment insurance, like self-employed and freelance workers. If you dont otherwise qualify for regular unemployment insurance, you may qualify for benefits under PUA. If you can prove that youve lost work due to the COVID-19 crisis or otherwise had to stop work to care for a family member, you might be able to get benefits. If you believe you are eligible, you should apply in the state where you last worked.
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Keep Your Skills Fresh
When you practice your skills on a regular basis, you reinforce all the good habits you got into that make you a great dental professional. But when you dont practice these skills for a long period of time, its easy to forget important steps you learned throughout your career that really made a difference to the quality of your work.
Consider a dental hygienist who has binge watched Netflix for the past month. Now consider a dental hygienist who has worked 40 hours on freelance assignments over the past month. Its easy to predict who is going to have the better skills and who will easily slip back into their regular pattern of work when everything goes back to normal.
Information You Need To File A Claim
- Your personal information
- address
- phone number* Last date worked
- Reason you are no longer working
- Gross earnings in the last week you worked, from Sunday till last day worked
- If necessary, the above information for all employers during the past 18th months
- Citizenship status, and, if you are not a U.S. citizen, information from your employment authorization document
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Am I Eligible For Florida Unemployment Benefits
To qualify for unemployment compensation in Florida, you must be out of work through no fault of your own and have earned a minimum of $3,400 during a 12-month period. Its important to note that for the first four of the five quarters before filing your Florida unemployment benefits claim that you are :
- a U.S. citizen or have a permit to work in the United States
- have worked for an employer covered by the states unemployment insurance law
- are able and available for work
If you quit your job, you are not eligible for Florida unemployment compensation unless you quit because:
- of illness or disability
- of unsolvable problems at work, such as discrimination, harassment, or unsafe working conditions
- your spouse is in the military and was ordered to relocate permanently
If misconduct led to your firing, you are not eligible for unemployment compensation. Florida defines misconduct as:
How To Get Cobra
Group health plans must give covered employees and their families a notice explaining their COBRA rights. Plans must have rules for how COBRA coverage is offered, how beneficiaries may choose to get it and when they can stop coverage. For more COBRA information, see COBRA Premium Subsidy. The page links to information about COBRA including:
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Dog Walking & Sitting
If babies ain’t your thing, then maybe canines are… dog sitting is big business. Students especially are likely to have free time during the day when others are out at work and worried about their pets at home.
You could bag around £10 an hour per dog, and it’s also a great way to keep fit.
Join Care Pet Care who are best for dog sitting and walking.
How Much Will My Unemployment Insurance Payments Be
After you apply, you will receive a Determination of Benefit Account document in the mail detailing your weekly Minnesota unemployment amount. You can expect to receive about 50% of your average weekly pay earned during your base period up to a maximum UIMN payment of $740.
Anyone filing a Minnesota unemployment claim who remains eligible for benefits can receive payments for up to 26 weeks. Depending on programs and funding available, you may receive a Minnesota unemployment extension of payments emergency state or federal funds.
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How Do I Apply For Florida Unemployment Benefits
Visit the Florida Department of Economic Opportunitys website for details about applying for unemployment benefits and the following:
- Information you will need to provide to apply for unemployment benefits
- Learn how to apply online
- Calculate what you could receive in unemployment benefits
- Discover how to continue to receive unemployment benefits
Where Do I Submit My Claim For Unemployment Benefits
Minnesota unemployment applications are accepted Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. You should apply for unemployment online as soon as you become unemployed or your work hours are reduced significantly. You must apply on the day of the week that corresponds with the last digit of your Social Security number:
- Last digit is 0, 1, or 2: Monday
- Last digit is 3, 4, or 5: Tuesday
- Last digit is 6, 7, 8, or 9: Wednesday
If you miss your assigned day, you can file on Thursday or Friday.
Minnesota offers limited phone support for unemployment claims filing. You can reach a customer service representative with questions about your application on Fridays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the following numbers:
- TTY: 1-866-814-1252
Customer service lines are open Monday through Friday with limited hours for application assistance. Call between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Friday for help filing a claim. Weekday customer service hours vary for questions about claims payments, passwords, and account access.
Online assistance can be accessed at //uimn.org/applicants/help-support
You can also receive assistance by visiting one of several Minnesota unemployment office locations.
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Earn From Affiliate Marketing
If you have a website or personal blog, you can make some extra cash with affiliate marketing. This involves advertising a product or service on your site and then taking a percentage of any sales that result from users clicking on your ads.
You can utilise a service that works with multiple businesses such as ShareASale or ClickBank. Whatever affiliate marketing agreements you sign up for, make sure youre following all transparency laws like GDPR and guidelines enforced by your blog or web host.
How To Make Money Without A Job
Are you one of millions of Americans who’ve lost a job, been furloughed, closed a business or seen a decline in household income over the past year? Or, like many parents, maybe you’ve had to take a step back to stay home with kids while schools are closed to in-person learning. If so, you’re not alone.
Planning your budget without a formal “9 to 5” job and the steady paycheck that comes with it is often a challenge. Fortunately, you may be able to make money that supplements your income now, and could possibly even lead to future career opportunities. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
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Apply For Unemployment Benefits
This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people neglect to file for unemployment benefits promptly. You may assume youll get another job right away or think you should look for work first before seeking financial assistance. Unfortunately, delaying this could cause you to miss a filing deadline and leave you without the money youre entitled to just when you need it the most.
Be aware that any additional income you bring in while unemployed can affect how much of the government assistance youll receive. Check the guidelines for your countrys official programme, such as the Jobseekers Allowance in the UK and Unemployment Help in the US.
