Unemployment benefits for self-employed individuals forthcoming

Wed, 04/22/2020 - 4:45pm

    AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Labor will be rolling out a program for self-employed individuals in the near future, according to an April 22 news release from the Department of Marine Resources. 

    The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment coverage for the self-employed and others not normally covered by unemployment insurance, will be the next program rolled out by the DOL, the release noted. 

    “As DOL works out the details of the program, they recommend that self-employed people interested in applying for unemployment start preparing to apply by gathering the following applicable tax schedules: Federal Tax Return: 1040 (2018 or 2019), Schedule C: sole proprietor, Schedule J: Farmers and Fishermen, Schedule SE: Self-employment, Schedule K-1: Partnerships and S-Corp,” the news release read. 

    Information about the application process will be posted on the Maine Department of Labor's website at maine.gov/unemployment as soon as it’s available. A news story will also be posted upon notice of the program’s launch.