COVID-19: Changes in Unemployment Benefits During the Pandemic

Normally, to get unemployment benefits, you must be able, available, and actively looking for work. Usually being able, available, and actively looking for working means:

• Able: You are mentally and physically ready to work.
   
• Available: You don’t have things going on in your life that would affect your ability to work, like going to school or caring for an ill family member.
   
• Actively seeking: You must look for work while you are getting UI. Only work search that does not put your health or your family’s health at risk is required.
   

Normally, you can’t get unemployment if you are self-employed or an independent contractor. BUT, a new law lets people who are self-employed or independent contractors get unemployment.

You can get unemployment if:

• You are an employee. Employees get a W-2 tax form. Employees could get unemployment before the new laws and still can.
• You are self-employed. For example, if you own your own business. Self-employed people can get unemployment for 39 weeks or until December 31, 2020, whichever comes first.
• You are an independent contractor. Independent contractors get a 1099 tax form. For example, if you are a freelance writer or a barber or hairdresser who rents a chair and gets a 1099 tax form. Independent contractors can get unemployment until December 31, 2020.
   

You can still get unemployment even if you were working part-time.

Self-employed people and independent contractors are eligible for unemployment under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. You can only get PUA payments if you are not eligible for regular unemployment.

To get unemployment, apply through the regular unemployment system:

• The fastest way is to apply online. There is a schedule for applying online based on the last digit of your social security number:
  • 0, 1, or 2: apply on Monday between 6am and 8pm
  • 3, 4 or 5: apply on Tuesday between 6am and 8pm
  • 6, 7, 8 or 9: apply on Wednesday between 6am and 8pm
  • Anyone can apply on Thursday and Friday between 6am and 8pm
• You can also apply over the phone, but only on Fridays, 8:00am – 4:30pm.
  • Twin Cities area: 651-296-3644
  • Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090
  • TTY - users: 1-866-814-1252

The state has to verify your employment and your income before they can send you unemployment payments. They will send you a letter in the mail if you are eligible.

Minnesota started sending payments to self-employed people and independent contractors on April 24, 2020. They are looking at groups of applications from self-employed people and independent contractors. This means that not everyone starts getting payments on the same date. They cannot speed up your application if you call.

Usually you get about half of the wages you were making before you lost your job. BUT, under the new laws, you get an extra $600 every week on top of the regular unemployment benefits.

If you are an employee (you get a W-2 tax form):

• You can see an estimate of your regular unemployment benefits using the MN Unemployment Insurance Benefits Estimator. 

• You also get an extra $600 per week. You get the extra $600 until you stop getting unemployment, or until July 31, 2020, whichever comes first.
   

If you are self-employed or an independent contractor (you get a 1099 tax form):

• They calculate your base amount from your net income on your last tax return. If you made $24,340 or less on your last tax return, you get $234 per week.

• You also get an extra $600 per week. You get the extra $600 until you stop getting unemployment, or until July 31, 2020, whichever comes first.

• If you left work on or before March 29, 2020, you get backpay of your unemployment amount and the extra $600 for each of those weeks

You can get up to 39 weeks’ worth of unemployment. Usually you are limited to 26 weeks but the new laws give you an extra 13 weeks. Most people don’t need to do anything to get the extra 13 weeks. BUT, if you used up your 26 weeks before the Pandemic, you need to reapply for unemployment to get the extra 13 weeks.

• Stay in touch with your employer about when you can start work again. This takes the place of the ‘looking for work’ requirement.

• Write down when you contact your employer, what they said to you, and what information they gave you.

You don’t need to look for work. Staying in touch with your employer about when your hours go back to normal should be enough.

The regular rules didn’t change. See our fact sheet Unemployment Benefits. You don't have to do any work search that puts your health or your family's health at risk.

• The regular rules have not changed. You need to look for other childcare and ask your employer for a reasonable accommodation or a change in hours before quitting. See our fact sheet Unemployment Benefits.

• Look for jobs that let you work from home or work when someone else can care for your children.

• If there are no jobs you can do at this time, apply anyway. If you are denied or need further advice, please contact Legal Aid.

• The regular rules have not changed. You need to ask your employer for a reasonable accommodation or a change in hours before quitting. See our fact sheet Unemployment Benefits.

• You should look for jobs that let you work from home or work when someone else can care for your family member.

• If there are no jobs you can do at this time, apply anyway.  If you are denied or need further advice, please contact Legal Aid.

The regular rules have not changed. See our fact sheet Unemployment Benefits.

• If your doctor or medical professional recommended that you stay home because you are sick or in a high-risk group, you should be able to get unemployment benefits. Make sure you get a doctor’s note.

• You do not have to look for work.

There may be more changes to unemployment benefits as we learn more about COVID-19 and how it affects Minnesota. Please visit the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s website for updates on unemployment benefits and COVID-19 https://www.uimn.org/applicants/needtoknow/news-updates/covid-19.jsp.

Not unless you follow the steps below.

• If your doctor or medical professional says you should stay home because you are or someone in your household is in a high-risk group, ask your employer for a reasonable accommodation. 

• A reasonable accommodation is something that lets you do your job with some extra help or changes. For example, you could ask your employer to let you work from home, buy extra protective gear, change work hours, or let you work in an area with fewer people.

• You need to ask for a reasonable accommodation in writing.

• Make sure you keep copies of your letter asking for an accommodation.

• If your employer gives you the reasonable accommodation, you must go back to work.
   

See our COVID-19: Reasonable Accommodations at Work fact sheet for more information.

• Get a letter from the doctor explaining why you or a family member is in a high-risk group and what kinds accommodations you need. Give it to your employer.

• It is very important that you keep copies of any documents you give to your employer. This includes the doctor's note and any papers you get from your employer that prove you were willing to work if it was safe. Also, take notes every time you talk to your employer. Include the name of the person you spoke to and the date and time you had the conversation. If they still won’t give you a reasonable accommodation, call Legal Aid.

• You can also ask for a leave of absence. Do it in writing. If your employer won’t OK a leave of absence, you need to decide if you want to go back to work or quit. Make sure you keep copies of letters and other papers. If you get a leave of absence or decide to quit, you may still be able to get unemployment. Call Legal Aid if you are denied.

• No. Not unless your employer is not following safety rules. If that is the case, you may have to tell your employer what you are worried about and give them a chance to make it right before you quit in order to stay home and remain on unemployment.

• Report the things you are worried about at work to Minnesota OSHA at 877-470-6742 or online at osha.compliance@state.mn.us. Your employer can’t discipline you or retaliate against you for reporting unsafe work conditions.

• For rules on safety, see MN OSHA's website at http://www.dli.mn.gov/business/workplace-safety-and-health/mnosha-compliance-novel-coronavirus-covid-19.

You CANNOT get unemployment benefits if you do not have permission to work in the United States. Only the wages you earned when you had permission to work count.

If you do have permission to work, you CAN get unemployment benefits. You have permission to work if you are a permanent resident, have a work visa, or have a work permit.

Unemployment benefits do not count for the public charge rule.