Unemployment benefits now available for self-employed Pennsylvanians

Self-employed Pennsylvanians who are out of work because of coronavirus can file for unemployment benefits now that the state’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance system is fully operational, according to the Department of Labor and Industry.

The department launched the first phase of the system last month, which allowed people to file initial applications but not receive benefits.

Workers who tried to use it said the process was confusing and ridden with technical glitches. The system denied benefits to some people who were eligible and informed others they would receive less money than they were eligible for. Applicants said it was unclear how they would receive payments, and trying to get answers from the swamped Department of Labor and Industry was futile.

More than 174,000 people have applied for PUA benefits, the department announced.

Applicants will start receiving their money soon, according to the department. To do so they’ll need to file weekly claims on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance page of the Office of Unemployment Compensation.

The first claim can be backdated to Jan. 27, 2020, or the first week applicants were unemployed due to covid-19, whichever is later.

The maximum benefit is $572 per week for up to 39 weeks; the minimum is $195 weekly. Anyone approved for PUA payments will also receive an extra $600 per week through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which will also be backdated.

The system was designed to make benefits available to self-employed people, independent contractors and gig workers, who are normally ineligible for unemployment.

More than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians have filed for regular unemployment since March 15, and the department has paid out more than $4 billion in benefits.