Capitol Update: COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Information
Good afternoon,
Included in this April 6 Capitol Update, you will find information from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) on Unemployment Insurance (UI). Given the unprecedented number of new applicants, several weeks ago DEED made the difficult decision to alter their phone schedule to prioritize application calls and password reset calls. That meant that some people who needed to talk with DEED had to wait. However, this week, DEED will resume taking calls from a broader set of customers, including those who have questions about their account or payment status.
Below is a table that provides the best time to call DEED’s customer service line and the relevant contact information for doing so.
Twin Cities area: 651-296-3644
Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090
TTY – users: 1-866-814-1252
Click here to visit the schedule that is outlined above. This schedule will be updated regularly and may change based on the number of calls placed to DEED.
Self-employed and Independent Contractors
For those who are not eligible for the regular UI program, you will be eligible for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program within the program’s guidelines. This is an entirely federally funded temporary program. The PUA includes self-employed and independent contractors as well as employees at religious schools and other organizations not included in covered employment. If you have been laid off or are unable to work because of COVID-19, DEED is advising folks to apply for UI benefits. The new PUA program is not up and running yet, but applying for UI benefits will get you into the system. DEED will contact you when the PUA program is up and running, and will then be able to start providing benefits.
How else can you help?
Most people can get answers to their questions by visiting www.uimn.org. DEED understands that some folks really need to talk to them to get their issues resolved and are encouraging them to apply and request benefits on the web. For those of you requesting benefit payment, it usually takes 2-3 days for the payment to arrive in your bank account. If friends and family are asking you if they believe they would qualify for unemployment insurance, please tell them to visit the website to apply and DEED will figure out if they are eligible.
New Information Posted
DEED has a lot of new information that is posted and can help Minnesotans apply and access benefits on their own. They have created a step-by-step guide on how to apply for benefits for employees, how to apply for benefits for self-employed people, and how to request payment. Additionally, DEED has a new webpage describing what new benefits are available to applicants under the federal CARES Act. DEED also has information for employers about changes to benefit charges.
Thank you for your continued interest in the state legislature and our work serving Senate District 46. If you have any time-sensitive questions, comments, or concerns please call my office at 651-297-8065.
Regards,
Ron