Who qualifies for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance?

Updated March, 2021

This Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program provides unemployment benefits to workers who are either:

• Self-employed
  Examples of self-employed workers include:
  • Independent contractors; such as freelance writers and photographers
  • Gig economy workers; such as rideshare and delivery app workers
  • Clergy and those working for religious organizations who are not covered by regular unemployment compensation
  • Individuals who work on their own farm
• Part-time
• Have a limited recent work history

Benefits will be given to these workers who have become fully or partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to any of the following reasons:

• The individual has to quit his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19; or
• The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
• A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• The individual is providing care for a family member or a member of the individual’s household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and such school or facility care is required for the individual to work;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because the individual has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
• The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• The individual has become the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19.

Workers do not qualify for PUA if they:

• Have the ability to telework with pay for their customary work week
• Are receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits for their customary work week
• Are eligible to receive benefits from the following programs:
  • Regular Unemployment Compensation (UC)
  • State UC
  • Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
  • Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX)
  • Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
  • Short-Time Compensation (STC) [part-time work]
• Receive Extended Benefits (EB)
• Receive Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

Where is the PUA program is available?

All states and territories, including Washington, D.C., have agreed to participate in the PUA program. However, either the DOL or a state may give thirty days written notice to terminate the PUA Agreement.

The DOL says it has the right to terminate an agreement with a state or territory if that area, “does not have an adequate system for administering such assistance.” If an agreement is terminated, payments will still be made for weeks of unemployment that were on or before the termination date.

So, it is possible that some areas may not offer the program at some point in the future.

The qualifications for PUA have not been changed after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. The only update is that the program has been extended until September 6, 2021.

For more information on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance:

• What is Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)?
• How much money will I get from Pandemic Unemployment Assistance?
• How do I apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance?
• What is Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)?
• What is Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)?