How Does The Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation Work
The mixed earner and unemployment compensation is meant to supplement the incomes of freelancers and gig workers who also happen to rely on traditional W-2 income.
An example of who this applies to would be a freelance photographer who buses tables on the side. Qualified applicants receive an additional $100 along with the standard $300 federal benefit.
How Do The $300 Unemployment Benefits Work
Anyone getting state unemployment has been getting the federal money since the CARES Act passed in March of 2020. But the federal bonus was $600 in that original COVID-19 relief package.
That expired in July of 2020 and was replaced by a $300-a-week federal bonus. President Donald Trump signed a bill in December that extended that program through March 14, 2021.
ARPA essentially picks up where the last bill left off. As with the previous benefits, you must be unemployed because of COVID-19 and, depending on where you live, you may need to complete regular work search requirements to remain eligible.
You need to apply for the extra benefits through your states website. That has proven a challenge in many states where antiquated computer systems were overwhelmed and started wheezing like a 1988 Chrysler LeBaron with 593,842 miles on the odometer.
Those problems have been mostly resolved, though a little patience might still be called for. New applicants will need to provide income and unemployment records.
ARPA allocated $300 billion for unemployment payments, but the Labor Department warned it might take a few weeks for states to tweak their computer systems to account for the extension.
The period between March 14 and Sept. 6 spans 25 weeks. If the payments were to pick up immediately, thats $7,500 extra in federal money for individuals. ARPA also increased the maximum period of benefits from 50 weeks to 79 weeks.
When Should The Payments Arrive
The state began administering the first three weeks of Lost Wages Assistance the week of Sept. 14.
Some unemployed workers needed to provide additional information to the state to get the money, but the large majority were already pre-qualified because of previous claims.
The roughly 2.3 million New Yorkers eligible for the $300 a week are recipients of both traditional unemployment insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
“There is no need to call the DOL at this time we will contact claimants with additional information. In the meantime, per federal law please continue to certify weekly to ensure you receive all benefits to which you are entitled,” the agency said on its website.
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Know Your Rights: Wage And Hour Laws
Out of pandemic-driven economic desperation, some employers may be exploiting workers and violating wage and hour laws, Elissa Devins, founder of the Employment Law Project at NYLAG, told us. This could include paying employees less than minimum wage, less than what theyve earned or withholding wages.
Brody of TakeRoot Justice said: Desperation leads to more minimum wage violations, more unpaid wages claims. I hear more reports of employment agencies placing people in less-than-minimum wage jobs. Thats a scam right now.
So heres what you should know:
- In New York City, minimum wage is $15 per hour for businesses of all sizes.
- In Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, it is $13 per hour.
- In the remainder of the state, it is $11.80 per hour.
The only exception is workers who receive tips, such as food service workers they may make a lower wage across New York State. But employers are still obligated to ensure that the wage plus tips total at least the minimum, and to make up the difference if necessary.
You can file an unpaid wages claim if your employer:
- Withheld your tips for any reason
- Did not pay you for all hours youve worked
- Lowered your rate of pay without prior notice
- Gave you a paycheck that bounced due to not sufficient funds
You can file a minimum wage/ overtime pay claim if your employer:
You can file an unpaid wage supplements claim if your employer promised you , but did not provide earned:
- Vacation pay
- Holiday pay
- Bonuses
Are Unemployment Benefits Retroactive
Yes. Once their state is set up, people already receiving benefits will see the supplemental aid come through with their regular state payments, retroactive to Aug. 1, the FEMA guidance says. States that began reconfiguring their systems on Aug. 8 could start administering payments by Aug. 29, according to the Department of Labor.
Experts worry about how long it could take. Many states already lacked the technology to deal with the massive wave of layoffs and furloughs in the spring, causing issues for their computer systems.
In Kentucky, Beshear said that those receiving benefits for the weeks of July 26 to Aug. 15 will be eligible to receive the additional $400, but said that people likely wonât start receiving the money until early September.
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Will The $300 Benefit Be Extended In October
The extension of the benefit will largely depend on the result of the stop-start negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill. So far both sides have struggled to agree on the cost of a new bill Republicans want to spend $1 billion while Democrats had initially proposed a $3.4 trillion plan but have since come down on that figure.
But one thing both sides do agree on is the need for enhanced unemployment benefits, which have been a feature of every bill put forward by both parties the latest of which will be the Democrats’ $2.4 trillion bill that is currently being worked on and could go to a vote as early as this week. The bill will be a hard-sell to Republicans, whose last targeted $500 billion plan was blocked by Democrats a few weeks ago.
The Democrats latest $2.4 trillion will also reportedly include enhanced unemployment benefits, as well as direct payments, Paycheck Protection Program small-business loan funding and aid to airlines, among other provisions.
After talks between the sides broke down in August, Republican chief negotiator Steve Mnuchin has said that he and his Democratic counterpart, House speaker Nancy Pelosi, have agreed to reopen negotiations. However Pelosi will have her work cut out in getting Republicans to agree to a $2.4 trillion bill considering Mnuchin said earlier this month that the administration would not be willing to approve any plan costing more than $1.5 billion.
Nancy PelosiREUTERS
Could Pandemic Benefits Be Reinstated
As the federal expiration deadline approached, White House officials made it clear they were not planning to continue the enhanced jobless benefits past Labor Day, saying they were intended to be temporary. When multiple states pulled out of pandemic-era unemployment programs prematurely during the summer, Labor Department officials had said their hands were tied and they couldnât counter decisions by governors.
On Sept. 15, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced that she would be introducing a bill to retroactively extend enhanced jobless benefits until February 2022. Saying sheâs not sure of the prospects of the legislation being passed, Ocasio-Cortez noted that she âcould not allow this to happen without at least trying.â The following day, she and 12 other Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to the House leadership urging them to include an expansion of unemployment aid in the $3.5 trillion budget package known as the Build Back Better Act.
Itâs not clear at this time which states will choose to use any leftover pandemic funds to continue jobless benefits. According to a CBS News report, not every state has shut the door to continuing some benefits, with some local officials reviewing options for providing assistance after the Labor Day expiration.
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New York Approved For Additional Unemployment Benefits
Many states including New York have signed up to receive funds from the Lost Wages Assistance fund recently enacted by President Donald Trump. Heres everything you need to know about the program.
OVERVIEWIn addition to the standard weekly unemployment payments, the CARES Act gave an additional $600 each week , for 17 weeks, during April-July 2020. This was both for people on regular unemployment and people on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance . The last $600 payment was for the week ending July 26, 2020. From the week beginning July 27, only the regular weekly payments of UI and PUA continued.
As you might have heard, Congress and the Senate have been negotiating an extension of the $600. However, nothing was yet agreed upon.
In the meantime, President Trump signed a memorandum allocating $44 billion of existing money from the Disaster Relief Fund in order to provide $300 per week in unemployment, which will be given in addition to the regular amount that people are currently getting. The $300 is effective retroactively from the week ending August 2nd, so there is no gap between the weekly $600 stopping and the weekly $300 starting. This program is called Lost Wage Assistance and is being administered by FEMA .
Lost Wages Assistance is designed as a temporary fix until Congress and the Senate decide on a new COVID package, which will hopefully top up the weekly unemployment benefit amount.
AM I ELIGIBLE FOR THE WEEKLY $300 LWA?
Which States Have Not Begun Paying Out The New Federal Unemployments Benefits
Arkansas and Iowa are working to distribute the payments. Kansas and Oklahoma are expected to distribute payments this week.
Colorados Department of Labor and Employment is rolling out the benefits in phases, and is expected to start late this coming week with the $300 weekly bonus going to all those on unemployment. It will also allow non-traditional workers who have not yet exhausted their federal pandemic relief to reopen their claim.
Ohio said it is still processing payments for the additional 11 weeks of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation due to eligible residents, noting this week, We are working as quickly as possible to implement FPUC for the additional 11 weeks of PUA and PEUC. All claimants will receive all benefits for which they are eligible.
Pennsylvania just announced that the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program extension will be available starting Sunday, January 24.
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What To Do If Your Benefits End But You Think They Should Keep Going
If you think the state Department of Labor made a mistake with your claim, you can call its hotline at 888-209-8124, though there may be a long wait time.
You can also contact a legal services provider who can help, or your state representatives who can advocate on your behalf.
You can call Legal Services NYC at 917-661-4500, The Legal Aid Societys access to benefits hotline at 888-663-6880 or the Center for Urban Community Services at 855-932-2827, and you can find your state representatives contact information here.
Phase 2 Staggered Lwa Payments Ca Ny Pa Nc
Due to the volume of payments and the fact that FEMA is approving/funding for remaining weeks several state like California and New York are paying the last few weeks of the LWA program. You can see this noted in the table and across the many comments below. So if you do see a delay between your first and subsequent rounds of payment it is likely due to the staggered nature of payments. Unfortunately states have not always been clear on the timing for these phase 2 payments as they are dependent of FEMA approval/funding and internal processing so many eligible claimants are facing delays in getting all their LWA payments.
The table is updated regularly as new information comes to hand. You can also follow my and feeds for micro real-time updates.
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Who Qualifies For Extra Weekly Unemployment Payments
All workers who get regular unemployment benefits should be eligible for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation programs additional weekly $300 benefits, beginning the week ending January 2. Anyone who receives at least $1 in unemployment aid qualifies.
Some workers who are self-employed or have side gigs, but who also earned some regular wages, may get an additional $100 a week. To be eligible for the additional Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program, you must have earned at least $5,000 a year in 2019 in self-employment income, but be disqualified from receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance as youre eligible for regular state unemployment benefits, too.
But theres another twist, too. States can choose whether to participate in the additional mixed earners unemployment compensation program. According to mixedincome.org, a site set up by the Future of Music Coalition to support those who are eligible, Idaho and South Dakota have not opted into the program.
Note: Ohio said it has started issuing new weekly $300 federal pandemic unemployment compensation payments to those who did not exhaust their benefits before the initial CARES Act program expired on Dec. 27, but is still processing others.
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Is What I See In The Calculator The Exact Amount Ill Receive
No. This calculator shows the average weekly unemployment payment in your state, plus the boost provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. You may qualify for more or less than that amount. Refer to your states unemployment website to learn more about whether you qualify and how much you might receive. This calculator should be used as an estimation tool only.
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When Will The Extra $300 In Unemployment Benefits Start These States Are Already Paying The Bonus
Some states have already started to distribute the extra $300 in federal unemployment aid this week after Congress passed a long-awaited COVID-19 relief package in December that will extend aid to millions of unemployed Americans.
Some labor experts were concerned that President Donald Trumps delay in signing the $900 billion rescue bill into law would mean that recipients would get only 10 weeks of the bonus benefits instead of 11 weeks. About 14 million people faced a lapse in their regular unemployment checks averaging about $400 a week at the end of December.
Some state unemployment agencies, however, avoided a delay in payments and have started sending out the $300 bonus for the week that ended Jan. 2 or 3.
Here’s what you should know:
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is a supplemental benefit that is paid on top of an individuals weekly benefit amount for state unemployment insurance benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Extended Benefits or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by the President on March 11, 2021, extends the FPUC program through September 2021.
FPUC provides a $300 per week benefit from Dec. 27, 2020 Sept. 4, 2021.
FPUC provided a $600 per week benefit from March 29 July 25, 2020.
Note: If you do not receive at least $1 in benefits for a week because you earned excessive wages, you will not be eligible to receive FPUC for that week.
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Communicate With Landlords Or Creditors
If you are counting on enhanced unemployment benefits to pay bills, “be proactive,” says Doug Boneparth, a CFP and president of Bone Fide Wealth in New York City. He suggests reaching out to mortgage companies, landlords, or creditors to let them know if you’re facing financial hardship.
“The good news is, I think a lot of companies are already quite aware of the fact that people are hurting and have created programs to help with that,” says Boneparth.
Major banks, including Capital One, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo, have been encouraging customers facing economic hardship to enroll in payment assistance programs. Here are some other resources for help with student loans, utility bills, rent, and food.
Video by David Fang
What If I Earn Wages And I’m A Contractor
Some workers with mixed earnings from wage and independent contractor work would receive an additional federal benefit of $100 a week through Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation, or MEUC.
Many independent contractors and self-employed workers may have been receiving smaller unemployment checks, experts say, since their payments were based on wages from their W-2 tax forms that didn’t include their self-employment income, which could be higher.
The bonus would be on top of the $300-per-week supplement and would last until mid-March.
States have to opt in to this program. New York, Florida, Minnesota and Illinois have signaled they plan to provide the aid, according to CNBC.
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Some In Ny Will Get $300 Extra Unemployment Benefit Next Week
ALBANY – The $300 a week in additional unemployment benefits for New Yorkers impacted by COVID-19 will start to go out next week, the state Department of Labor said late Thursday.
About 2.4 million residents will be eligible retroactively for the additional weekly unemployment benefits for three weeks in August under the Lost Wages Assistance program, the agency said.
And 435,000 of them will need to submit an additional certification to qualify for the $300.
“We are emailing all New Yorkers who are receiving benefits to inform them of their status and, if needed, provide information about certifying for the Lost Wages Assistance program,” labor commissioner Roberta Reardon said in a statement.
“All New Yorkers should keep an eye out for these messages and, if an additional certification is required, respond immediately.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is administering the program through unused disaster relief aid, has released funding to New York for the weeks ending Aug. 2, Aug. 9, and Aug. 16.
So if you were unemployed during those weeks, you should be eligible for the money.
The aid comes after the state applied last month for a piece of the $44 billion in federal unemployment aid made available unilaterally Aug. 8 by President Donald Trump amid gridlock in Washington.
More than a half dozen states have already started to issue the $300 a week through the federal program.
Who will be eligible for the unemployment money?
Those who are pre-qualified:
