04/29/21 update... PUA has requested of all filers to submit proof of their self-employment.
Examples of proof:
- IRS EIN letter, business license, business lease agreement.
- copy of tax return including any applicable schedule C, K-1, shareholder W-2.
How to submit (choose one):
- PUA dashboard's "provide additional documentation"
- fax to (855) 728-2359
- mail to PA Dept of Labor, PUA, 651 Boas St., Harrisburg, PA 17121
03/12/21 update in green... stimulus package #3 (American Rescue Plan)
12/28/20 update... stimulus package #2
- PUA web site hints:
1) After re-opening a claim, you apparently have to wait 1 week before you can do the weekly certifications.
2) Request backdating... if you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, call PUA at 855-284-8545 or send an email to [email protected] with a subject line "BACK DATE REQUEST". In the email body you have to say when and how Covid-19 affected your self-employment and wish weeks you wish to claim.
3) Example back date email: I want to backdate my unemployment claim to March 15th because I had temporarily closed my business until June 6th due to the Governor's closure orders. Please note I don't need to claim unemployment as of June 8th because I re-opened my business as of June 8, 2020.
Click this button if you already have a PUA account and are ready to file your weekly claim...
Examples of proof:
- IRS EIN letter, business license, business lease agreement.
- copy of tax return including any applicable schedule C, K-1, shareholder W-2.
How to submit (choose one):
- PUA dashboard's "provide additional documentation"
- fax to (855) 728-2359
- mail to PA Dept of Labor, PUA, 651 Boas St., Harrisburg, PA 17121
03/12/21 update in green... stimulus package #3 (American Rescue Plan)
12/28/20 update... stimulus package #2
- additional $300 weekly federal supplement to unemployment through early Sept 2021 (formerly 12/26/20 - 03/14/21).
- PUA is extended through early Sept 2021 (was originally to expire 03/14/21).
- adds $100 weekly federal supplement for those with at least $5k of annual self-employment income, but are disqualified from PUA due to regular PA UC unemployment eligibility. This is for someone laid off from both self-employment and a W2 job.
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation provides an additional 13 weeks to those who exhaust their regular state benefits.
- States given the authority to waive repayment overpayments where the claimant is not at fault.
- PUA web site hints:
1) After re-opening a claim, you apparently have to wait 1 week before you can do the weekly certifications.
2) Request backdating... if you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, call PUA at 855-284-8545 or send an email to [email protected] with a subject line "BACK DATE REQUEST". In the email body you have to say when and how Covid-19 affected your self-employment and wish weeks you wish to claim.
3) Example back date email: I want to backdate my unemployment claim to March 15th because I had temporarily closed my business until June 6th due to the Governor's closure orders. Please note I don't need to claim unemployment as of June 8th because I re-opened my business as of June 8, 2020.
Click this button if you already have a PUA account and are ready to file your weekly claim...
Lost or never received PUA debit cards... Call 888-233-5916 to request replacement cards. Expect 3 hour hold times.
PUA: Self-employed filing for unemployment if you are not working or working less.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides benefits to qualifying individuals who are otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of applicable state law, except that they are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to COVID-19 related issues. reasons, as defined in the CARES Act.
- May not be less than half of the state's average weekly benefit amount of $195.
Unexpected PUA Debit card?
- Direct deposit is suspended due to fraud.
- Instead, many will be mailed a debit card which will be loaded with funds every week.
- If you received a UC-issued debit card, but discarded it or lost it, you must contact U.S. Bank Reliacard for a replacement at 888-233-5916.
- Keep the card!!! It is good for 3 years and you never know if you will be unemployed again.
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Filing tips:
- PUA assistance phone # 855-284-8545 (very difficult to get through). Their help email turnaround time could be weeks or months... bad... the worst customer service I have ever experienced. Yes, worse than Comcast!
- PUA benefits... Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Do not file through the normal PUC system which says "file an initial claim". It must say PUA!
- Beware... the system will kick you out and make you start over if you let it sit idle for too long. I left the system idle for about 15 minutes and got kicked out.
- These are some of the items needed to apply:
- pdfs for proof of 2020 income (see below in orange)
- date you started working for the business
- date your work was reduced or stopped
- your annual salary if you are a corporation and get a W2
- File even if your business was not profitable before Covid-19.
- File even if you were about to start a business... but could not due to Covid-19.
- S corporation and C corporation owners... you need to know your gross annual salary.
- You must apply online and check in weekly online.
- My understanding is that PUA benefits are available only to business owners whose primary source of income is from their business.
- If you own a jointly held business with your spouse... the spouse should also apply for PUA unemployment (separate claim) as long as the primary source of income for the spouse is working for the business. The rules are still soft on this, but I suggest that the spouse apply.
- Have your 2020 proof of income documents available and saved as pdf/jpg/png ready to upload. You can have a maximum of 5 documents.
- 3 steps to apply
Step 2: Scroll down to bottom of their web page and click blue bar "File for PUA".
Step 3: Then click top left "File a PUA claim"
Step 4: Step-by-step through their application
Web site asks...
- Your social security # (not your business EIN)... you as an individual are applying for unemployment as an employee of your business. It's not your business applying, it's YOU.
- Have you been determined financially ineligible for regular unemployment since 01/05/20? Yes, if you are self-employed as your primary source of income.
- Current employment status? not working or working part-time
- If offered a job, are you willing to accept it? Yes
- Are you self-employed or owner of a business? Yes
- Type? sole proprietor/partnership, or 1099 contractor, or gig worker (or "Corporate officer" if you do S-corp with January appointment). LLC Partnership... use sole prop/partner.
- Are you elected, appointed or in a major policy making position? Say no!
- Are you unemployed as a direct result of a pandemic? Yes
- Self certification... affected by Covid-19? Yes
- Does your business have a name? Yes if you are LLC/S-corp. Otherwise better off saying no since this entry has had a glitch. If you get hung up here, just answer no to get past this.
- if yes, What is the name?
- if yes, What is the employer EIN/SSN? If you have an EIN, provide. If not, provide your social security number.
- What is your net earnings for the each quarter of 2020?
- You need your 2020 personal tax return (or estimate and supply tax return later)
- schedule C filers... use line 31 of schedule C (your profit) and divide by 4. A loss is not allowed. If you have a loss, input $1 for the quarter. If you have not filed yet, use any other profit and loss report to show quarterly profits after expenses for 2020.
- LLC partners who receive partnership K-1s... use line 14 less line 12 from your K-1 and divide by 4.
- S-corp form 1120S filers... use your K-1's line 1 less line 11 and divide total by 4.
- How did Covid-19 cause unemployment? Select one, but these fit best...
- You stopped working because you're unable to reach your place of work after public official required quarantine.
- or if home office... You temporarily closed your business due to Covid-19
- You are working reduced hours because of Covid-19
- Reduction of gig work... (Uber, musician, freelancer)
- Other from their list
- My interpretation is "your last day to perform full-time work".
- 03/23/20 “Stay at Home” orders for Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
- 03/27/20 "Stay at Home" orders for Berks, Butler, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne, Westmoreland and York counties.
- 04/01/19 Stay at home order for entire state
- What date do you expect to return to work? Use 6 months out.
- Do you want tax withheld? I suggest you say "no".
- Proof of earnings document upload (maximum of 5 pdf/jpg/png files)...
- need to upload the documents used to obtain quarterly earnings (schedule C, K-1s, W2s, 2020 business tax return)
- if 2020 tax returns are not complete, upload any 2020 other documents available... 1099s, Quickbooks report.
- select your own company as employer
- Job title: manager
- Occupation: Compliance Managers
- Type of employment: Regular
- put in your annual salary
- Are you currently employed with this employer? Yes
- Gross W2 earnings this week? $0 for most if we pulled you off payroll.
- Reason for separation? Reduced Hours
- Last day worked: use same answer as above for Date you last performed work
- Does employer plan to recall you within 6 weeks: No
- Did you own stock: Yes
- If you are self-employed or S corp... say No and ignore the message that says you need to add work history. The web site hangs up and won't let you go forward if you say yes.
- "Beginning Sunday you must file weekly certifications that you are unemployed".
- When you file the weekly certification be sure you are on the page for PUA benefits (not regular PUC benefits. Here is a link (right top blue par "file your PUA weekly certification"...
- Your claim is retroactive back to the date you told them you had reduced hours or no hours.
04/15/20 update from last year... you may need to supply proof that you were self-employed; they may ask you for info later.
What documentation do I need to show I was employed or self-employed?Acceptable documentation of proof of employment or self-employment can include, but is not limited to:
- copies of recent paycheck stubs;
- bank receipts showing deposits;
- 1099s;
- billing notices provided to your customers;
- recent advertisements for your business or services;
- statements from recent customers;
- current business licenses, ledgers, contracts, invoices; and/or
- building leases.