The New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL), which runs the New Jersey Unemployment Insurance Program in New Jersey, has created a page with unemployment benefits information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The website is available here. Generally, employees who have been laid off will apply for unemployment in the normal course, as if the pandemic had not occurred.
Recently, the NJDOL has posted Frequently Asked Questions, which address questions individuals may have related to unemployment benefits and situations related to COVID-19. The FAQs address the following: (i) expanded unemployment benefits provided for in the federal CARES Act, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provides benefits for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for unemployment benefits under New Jersey law; (ii) Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which provides for an additional $600 benefit for those collecting regular unemployment benefits or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance; and (iii) Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which provides an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to all recipients. The FAQs can be found here.
Additionally this week, the NJDOL published guidance on filing for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits for self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and others who are otherwise ineligible for regular unemployment benefits. That guidance provides step-by-step instructions for what those individuals should do and how they should complete the electronic application for New Jersey unemployment benefits. It explains that individuals should collect the following information in order to fill out the application:
- Social security number (or alien registration number, for non-US citizens)
- Driver’s license or state ID number
- Pension information
- Amount and duration of any separation pay
- Recall date
- Union hiring hall information
- Military form DD-214
- Name and address of employer
- Employer’s phone number
- Occupation with employer
- Beginning date and last dates worked for each employer
- Reason for separation
The NJDOL guidance provides that, once an individual has been denied normal New Jersey unemployment benefits, he or she likely will be eligible for the expanded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. These individuals will need to gather the last two years of tax returns or other evidence of income history, which will be necessary for processing their claims.
On a webinar on April 16, 2020, the Commissioner of the NJDOL explained that the NJDOL is currently working with the USDOL to develop a process to assess applications for the newly expanded federal unemployment programs.
Moreover, another FAQ issued by the NJDOL, entitled “Self Employed NJ Workers: Frequently Asked Questions During the Coronavirus Emergency,” addresses the following:
It is unclear at this point, whether Gov. Murphy will sign this bill, as some of the concerns to be addressed by this legislation have been covered by other, recently enacted legislation.
The above represents the current state of unemployment benefits and implementation of the federal expanded unemployment benefits in New Jersey.
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