Record MA Unemployment Amid Coronavirus: Self-Employed In Limbo

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance is enacting some measures of the CARES Act, based on "limited" guidance from the federal government, the agency said Friday. Meanwhile, it is awaiting additional guidance on certain aspects of the law, including those pertaining to people who would not traditionally qualify for unemployment insurance, like the self-employed.

The department has added hundreds of workers to respond to the influx of unemployment claims since the start of the coronavirus crisis. According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Labor Department, unemployment claims went up 22 percent during the week that ended March 28.

A total of 181,062 people filed for unemployment insurance that week in Massachusetts, breaking the record of 148,452 set the previous week. In response, the Department of Unemployment's call center now has more than 500 employees, compared to 50 prior to the pandemic, WCVB reported.

States have been advised against implementing specific programming options for the self-employed and people not traditionally covered under the regular unemployment program until the federal government has issued additional guidance, the Department of Unemployment said.

The department is moving to add $600 to the weekly benefits received by traditional claimants and implement the 13-week extension of benefits to unemployment insurance claimants. In a statement Friday, it urged federal officials to provide additional guidance on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance so that "we can help the self-employed, those who have exhausted eligibility under regular unemployment, and others eligible for the new program get the resources they need during these difficult times."

"Unfortunately, until more specific guidance is issued, those who would not traditionally qualify for unemployment insurance remain ineligible for benefits through the UI Online application system," the Department of Unemployment said.

Once guidance is issued, the department will retroact payments to Jan. 27.

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