Missouri Self Employed, Gig Workers, Independent Contractors Encouraged to Apply for Unemployment Assistance

(Jefferson City, MO) In a press release, the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Division of Employment Security is encouraged self-employed, gig workers, and independent contractors whose businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus to apply for unemployment assistance.

Under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, those who qualify will be eligible for weekly benefit payments of between $133 and $320 per week plus a $600 federal supplement available under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.

The federal guidelines provide the FPUC payments only apply to weeks payable from March 29, 2020, through July 25, 2020. These two programs are not regular unemployment insurance, but are new, fully federally funded assistance programs.

Both of these provisions have been enacted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The DES expects to begin processing PUA claims as early as the week of April 19, 2020. 

Those who are self-employed, impacted by the coronavirus, and have not already filed a claim, are encouraged to file claims online at uinteract.labor.mo.gov.