Freelance work and unemployment

by Michelle
(NJ)

I work on a freelance basis. I had to apply for Unemployment as there was no work for a while. Now, some weeks I work 1 or no days and some I work 5 days. How do I continue claiming unemployment for just the weeks that I don't work enough when the claim is for 2 weeks? Do the weeks that I don't qualify for unemployment count towards the total weeks allowed to collect? If I work for a few weeks straight can I just start collecting again once the work dies down again?






Hi,


1. Are you really a freelancer? That means self-employed. Or are you working for a temp agency that sends you out on jobs? That employment and the employer is the temp agency.

2. Just because you work one day a week, does not mean you are not entitled to a "partial weekly benefit amount" .. unless you make more that your total weekly benefit amount .. so file and report the earnings from in the week you earn it.

3. Even in states that require a person to recertify bi-weekly, will have you certify for each separate week .. at least that's how it works here in my state, which is way west of you:) There's a big warning after the first week that YOU ARE NOT DONE YET and check boxes to let them know you are aware that being untruthful is subject to penalties of perjury.

So, I advise you and everyone to contact your unemployment department when you have questions about how a claim is administered because although the individual state programs are similar since they are administering a "federal program" the guidelines for how they are allowed to do it create widely disparate possibilities for resolving issues.

If you work for a temp agency .. not having work for you is a lack of work.

If your freelancing is actually freelancing .. then the discussion would be more about how "self employment and unemployment benefits can create problems with collecting benefits.