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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto by\u00a0Burst<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The passage of the CARES Act has extended unemployment assistance to millions of independent contractors, freelancers and gig economy workers in the United States who were <\/span>previously ineligible for such payments<\/span><\/a>. This has been welcome news for California\u2019s approximately 95,000 active real estate agents, the majority of whom are independent contractors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In order to provide assistance to those who are ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance benefits, the CARES Act includes a temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. Those who are eligible for PUA \u2014 here\u2019s a <\/span>helpful breakdown<\/span><\/a> if you\u2019re unsure about your status \u2014 will receive $600 per week from the federal government for up to four months on top of their state unemployment insurance benefits. The Feds will also grant you 13 additional weeks of UI benefits after your state-awarded payments run out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You must first apply for unemployment assistance through your state to receive payments through the PUA program. Unfortunately, they\u2019re not going to magically appear in your mailbox like the one-time stimulus check of $1,200 promises to.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a California real estate agent with independent contractor status, you\u2019re probably wondering how much you can expect to receive in state unemployment benefits, and the short answer to that question is: It\u2019s complicated.<\/p>\n Here we explain everything you need to know about filing for unemployment insurance benefits as an independent contractor in the Golden State.<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Colin Watts<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In California, eligible UI recipients can expect to receive $40 to $450 per week for up to 26 weeks. Your eligibility and the subsequent amount you will receive depends on the wages earned during your <\/span>Base Period<\/span><\/a>, a 12-month term that typically begins four to five quarters prior to when you filed your claim.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While this amount varies from person to person, the average unemployment benefit received in 2019 was about $330 per week for 17 weeks, according to the California <\/span>Legislative Analyst\u2019s Office<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Jacky Chiu<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The process of filing an unemployment claim has proven especially difficult during these unprecedented times. During the week ending March 21st, California\u2019s Employment Development Department (EDD) saw a 363 percent year-over-year increase in the number of unemployment insurance claims processed.<\/p>\n In an interview with <\/span>NBC 7 San Diego<\/span><\/a>, EDD spokesperson Loree Levy recommended that eligible workers use the department\u2019s <\/span>online portal<\/span><\/a> to file their unemployment claims as the phone lines have been jammed with callers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But before you file online, you\u2019ll need to gather some <\/span>important documents and information<\/span><\/a>, such as the last date worked and the reason you are no longer working. In a <\/span>tweet<\/span><\/a> published on March 30th, the EDD directed independent contractors to visit a landing page on how to file an unemployment insurance claim, but this information has not been updated to reflect the inclusion of 1099 contract workers. Livabl reached out to the EDD for clarity on this matter, but we have not yet received a response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Update, May 12, 2020: California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) began accepting applications for PUA claims on April 28, 2020, from\u00a0independent contractors, self-employed\u00a0indviduals and business owners. To submit a PUA claim online, click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Webaroo<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n It can take up to three weeks for a claim to be processed, but the silver lining is that the non-payable one-week waiting period for regular UI benefit payments has been waived by the state. If this is your first time filing for unemployment insurance, it\u2019s important to note that you\u2019ll have to <\/span>reopen your claim <\/span><\/a>every two weeks to continue receiving benefits \u2014 don\u2019t worry, though, it\u2019s fast and easy to complete online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n SEE ALSO:<\/span>Attention, California realtors: Federal unemployment benefits set to expire on July 25th<\/a><\/strong>\r\n <\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\nYour Base Period dictates your weekly UI benefit<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nFile your claim online for the fastest results<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nAvoid mistakes and streamline your payments<\/b><\/h3>\n