Calling All Self Employed and Freelance Workers! How to leverage emergency unemployment benefits.

There is SO much information out there now, it can be hard to cut through it all. I’m a landlord who has a few self-employed tenants that are struggling to pay rent. I’ve also had my self-employment income as a photographer drop by 90% in the last two weeks, so I’m compiling resources that might be of help to get us through tough times when income is partially or completely cut off.

It can be hard to focus these days (I know–personal experience). So I’m going to post a resource a day on this blog that will be useful to small businesses owners, the self employed, freelance, and gig workers.

This first resource is courtesy of the CARES act passed by Congress last week. This does a HUGE things for self employed and/or freelance workers, and depending on your state, gig workers:

(1) Allows self employed/freelance and/or gig workers to apply for unemployment assistance worth $600 per week through the end of July 2020. Whereas in the past you would not have qualified for unemployment at all, this is an emergency federally sponsored program administered by states called the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. You need to apply for unemployment through your state unemployment office to get this benefit. Here is the link to the Alabama Unemployment Office. Click File A COVID Claim to start your unemployment claim.

Be sure to certify weekly. Follow instructions carefully! For folks in other states visit your state unemployment office website for state-specific instructions.

Good Luck! Let me know how it works out for you!