The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security Act

Assistance is available to self-employed workers, independent contractors, gig and platform workers who are impacted by COVID-19.

A NJ worker experiencing any of the following COVID-19 scenarios would likely be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance:

  • diagnosed with COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms and seeking medical diagnosis (please note, NJ is currently awaiting specific guidance from USDOL on this scenario)
  • member of the individual’s household diagnosed with COVID–19
  • providing care for family member or member of household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
  • individual is primary caregiver for child or family member unable to attend school or another facility closed due to COVID-19
  • unable to reach place of employment due to an imposed quarantine or because advised by medical provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19
  • was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job due to COVID-19
  • became breadwinner because the head of household has died from COVID-19
  • quit his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19
  • place of employment is closed due to the COVID-19 public health emergency
  • self-employed / independent contractors / 1099 filers / farmers – and impacted by COVID-19
  • seeking part-time employment but impacted by COVID-19
  • does not have sufficient work history and impacted by COVID-19
  • otherwise not qualified for regular or extended Unemployment benefits and impacted by COVID-19 (please note, NJ is currently awaiting specific guidance from USDOL on this scenario)
  • exhausted all benefits under regular Unemployment and impacted by COVID-19 (but if combined UI and extended benefit payments total 39 weeks, no additional benefits are available)

To visit the NJ Division of Unemployment Click Here

Click here for fact sheet for self employed