Self-employed North Carolinians eligible to file for unemployment assistance under CARES Act

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Starting Friday, thousands of North Carolinians now have the opportunity to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) through North Carolina's Division of Employment Security. The eligibility comes amid funding provided by Congress as part of the recently passed CARES Act.


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Eligible applicants are able to apply on the DES website. To determine eligibility, applicants must meet the following:

Who are unable to work as a direct result of COVID-19

Are not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits, such as independent contractors or self-employed workers

RELATED: North Carolina self-employed workers, contractors can apply for unemployment benefits starting Friday

The Division of Employment Security recommends applicants have all of their necessary documents when applying to avoid any delay in processing. DES identifies examples of those documents as:

2019 Tax Returns

Recent Paycheck Stubs

Bank Receipts

1099s

Billing statements, notices

Business licenses

Contracts, invoices, ledgers

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Examples of documents to show COVID-19 as the reason for the loss of work:

Documentation from medical professionals related to diagnosis or isolation instructions

Notices from school or childcare providers

Notices from county or state government regarding business closures or stay at home orders

Documentation that a job offer or need for your services was canceled or delayed because of COVID-19

Once approved, eligible recipients should expect to receive a paycheck in 14 days.



For more information on eligibility, FAQs, as well as how to apply, visit the DES website.