PUA for Self-Employed

Overview

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance by Specific Need

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides unemployment benefits to individuals who became unemployed because of COVID-19 and are not eligible for regular benefits, including self-employed workers. The individual must be unemployed; PUA is not a wage replacement program for workers who are still working full time but have had earnings reduced. On Dec. 27, 2020, the stimulus bill renewed PUA, that was originally set to expire Dec. 26, 2020. Click here for CARES Act Extension FAQs.

How to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Step 1:  Apply for Unemployment Benefits

  • You must apply for unemployment insurance. If you have not already done so, file online at: idaho.gov/claimantportal
  • Idaho Department of Labor will determine if you are eligible for regular unemployment benefits.
  • You will receive a letter in the mail explaining your monetary entitlement. This determination will explain if you have enough wages reported in Idaho to qualify for a regular unemployment insurance claim.
  • If you are monetarily ineligible or pending for regular unemployment, you may be eligible for PUA.

Step 2: Continue to submit your weekly certifications

  • You must continue to file your weekly claim application at labor.idaho.gov/claimantportal while you are monetarily pending or monetarily ineligible.
  • If it has been determined that you are eligible for PUA, you will be paid the minimum weekly payment of $168 per week for eligible week(s) claimed while your issue was pending, even if you have returned to work. See step 3 to potentially increase your weekly benefit amount.

Step 3: Submit Proof of 2019 Earnings

Gather your proof of income for 2019. Your wage history needs to be established with any of the following documents:

  • 2019 Tax returns
  • 2019 Business receipts
  • State or federal identification number
  • Business licenses

Submit your proof of income using one of the following methods:

  • Upload online to the Claimant Portal
  • Fax to: (208) 780-5130
  • Mail to:
    Idaho Department of Labor ATTN PUA
    317 Main St
    Boise ID 83735-0770
Claimant Portal document upload page.

If you upload to Claimant Portal, the file size limit is 5 MB. File types allowed are: pdf, xps, doc, docx, odf, xls, xlsx, csv, ods, jpg, png, tif, txt, rtf, qbv, qbf, qbb, qbw, qbm, qbx.

Step 4: Verify your identity

U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) requires claimants receiving PUA benefits to verify their identity. You must verify your identity through our trusted partner, ID.me. If you fail to verify your identity through ID.me within 14 days, your unemployment insurance claim will be denied. Learn more about the identity verification process.

Step 5: Application Review

  • Department staff will review your proof of income and issue a determination letter to you. If additional information is needed or if you have not provided sufficient documentation, you will be contacted by phone or email. No additional action is necessary after you supply your proof of earnings unless we contact you directly.
  • When your proof of income is reviewed and approved, you will be sent a monetary redetermination. If you were already receiving the minimum weekly benefit amount of $168, and your benefit amount increases, you will be issued a supplemental payment for weeks paid at the minimum weekly benefit amount. You must continue to file your weekly claim application.

Payment Details:

  • Payment amount:
    • Minimum payment amount for individuals will be $168 per week.
    • Maximum payment will be $463 per week.
    • Provides up to 50 weeks of benefits total.
  • First payments occurred in mid-May.
  • First payable week: Feb. 2, 2020.
  • Last payable week: Claimants may receive a maximum of 50 weekly payments. Claimants who began collecting benefits early in the pandemic will reach 50 payments the week ending March. 13, 2020. Claimants who have not received the maximum number of payments and who draw benefits for the week ending March 13, 2021, may receive benefits until they reach 50, through the week ending April 10, 2021.

Fraud Warning

  • If you knowingly make a false statement or fail to disclose information in an attempt to receive PUA benefits you are not entitled to, you are committing fraud. Fraud results in a disqualification from benefits, an overpayment of benefits, penalties and potential criminal prosecution. Discontinue your weekly reports when you return to full-time employment.

Individual Eligibility

Qualifying COVID-19 Reasons

To be eligible for PUA, an individual must be unemployed or unable or unavailable to work due to one of the COVID-19 related reasons listed below:

  • Self-diagnosed with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis.
  • Household member diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical professional.
  • Providing care for a family member or a member of household member who has been medically diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Primary caregiver for a child or other person in the household whose school or care facility closed due to COVID-19, and having the individual in the school or care facility is required for work.
  • Quarantined and unable to reach employment due to an imposed quarantine or governmental order restricting travel, or self-quarantine due to advise of health care provider, due to COVID-19 concerns.
  • New job canceled or cannot reach the workplace as direct result of COVID-19.
  • Head of household for the household because the head of the household died as a direct result of COVID-19.
  • Quit job as a direct result of COVID-19, such as health complications preventing essential job functions, even with a reasonable accommodation.
  • Employer closed temporarily or permanently closed as a direct result of COVID-19.
  • Self-employed, an independent contractor, or a gig worker and have experienced a significant decrease of services because of the COVID-19 public health emergency, even if there has not been a suspension of services.

Those Not Eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Include an Individual:

  • Who does not meet any of the criteria above, including those working reduced hours.
  • Who has the ability to telework with pay and would still be working substantially the same number of hours and be receiving the same pay.
  • Who is receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits and those benefits would exceed their weekly amount of PUA.
  • Who is eligible for another state or federal unemployment program including unemployment insurance (UI), Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Extended Benefits (EB), and Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA).

Payment Protection Program

  • Who does not meet any of the criteria above, including those working reduced hours.
  • A claimant who has stopped receiving PPP could be eligible for benefits if they are still unemployed.