When can Pa. gig workers expect pandemic unemployment assistance to kick in?

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PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey's labor department has rolled out a program for self-employed workers and independent contractors — Pennsylvania is about a week behind.

The commonwealth's Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program allows gig workers and self-employed people to file for unemployment assistance, which they can’t typically do.

Within the week, Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry will start rolling out payments and information about how to use the PUA program, says Susan Dickinson, policy director for the Pennsylvania unemployment office.

"We are going to get email addresses from our vendor and send everyone an email," Dickinson said.

The office will also publish information about next steps for applicants on the labor website. 

According to Dickinson, those who qualify will have to certify their claim on the website each week — kind of like a timesheet — rather than biweekly.

Wage records and payment history — contracts and such — determine how much an applicant will get. As outlined in the CARES Act package, if those kinds of records are unavailable, the applicant will get the state minimum $195 — plus the $600 a week from the federal government.

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