NORFOLK, Va. — Self-employed workers and independent contractors are typically excluded from traditional unemployment benefits, but the CARES Act creates a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that could make them eligible for $600 in weekly benefits.
However, more than two weeks after the act's passing, the PUA program is still not implemented in Virginia.
Unemployed workers in this category are instructed to file for traditional Unemployment Insurance through the Virginia Employment Commission, get denied, and then wait to be contacted about the PUA program.
“Who knows when that will be," said Drew Damico, husband of a self-employed hairdresser who was forced to shut down her business.
Delays in implementing the federal benefits system are straining Virginia workers who are hoping for relief during the pandemic shutdown.
"Funds start to shrink rather quickly whenever there’s no income from one source in our family," Damico said. “It’s tough, my wife chose her profession and does well at it but in times like this [she] is kind of forgotten."
On April 7, VEC released a statement saying it would "be announcing more details on the start date for this new [PUA] program later this week."
One week later, Virginians are still waiting on an update.
On Friday, Governor Ralph Northam said that VEC would reach out to about 75,000 Virginians who were previously denied unemployment benefits due to their self-employed status and that these workers could start applying for benefits on Monday.
Self-employed workers and contractors tell 13News Now they haven't received any communication like this and still don't have the ability to file for PUA benefits.
Northam also said VEC will begin distributing federal benefits this week.
13News Now asked VEC when the program would be ready, what's delaying it and what unemployed workers can do now to ensure speedy receipt of benefits.
The agency did not respond to our questions on Tuesday.
Damico said he and his wife would appreciate an accurate timeline for the implementation of the PUA program.
“Just a better information flow would be tremendous, even if they would say it's going to take two weeks and we should be able to process your claim and get you money, we're just asking for a date," he said.