Source: nj.gov
What benefits or unemployment insurance, including Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, are available to me?
Types of Individuals
Employees
Whether you are impacted by a medical condition personally, by the situation of a family member, or by the status of your business or employer during the COVID-19 outbreak, the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development (NJDOL) can advise you on the benefits for which you may be eligible in a number of situations. If you are an employee, visit their page on NJDOL Benefits and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): What Employees Should Know to learn about these situations and assess which may be applicable to you.
A useful graphic comparison of these scenarios and their available benefits is also available from NJDOL by viewing COVID-19 Scenarios & Benefits Available [pdf].
Business Owners
If you are a business owner, information regarding unemployment insurance eligibility can be found at NJDOL's Information for Corporate Officers & Business Owners.
Self-Employed/Freelancers/Independent Contractors
The recently-enacted CARES ACT extends unemployment benefits to freelancers, gig workers and independent contractors, who typically are not eligible. Visit NJDOL's Information for Self-Employed NJ Workers.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is a new program authorized by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide unemployment benefits to workers not eligible for regular unemployment. In addition to people who are self-employed or independent contractors, this includes those who do not have enough recent earnings to receive regular unemployment benefits.
Workers in this group, who have applied for regular unemployment and been denied, do not have to do anything further. The Department will start reaching out April 29, 2020, and will start processing payments this week.
Claimants must certify for these benefits online each week. The certification schedule—based on Social Security number—can be found at myunemployment.nj.gov. For more information and instructions, see the NJDOL's April 29, 2020 press release.
Updated: April 30, 2020
Source: NJDOL Benefits and the Coronavirus, NJDOL Information for corporate officers & business owners, NJDOL Information for Self-Employed NJ Workers, NJDOL Press Release April 3, 2020, NJDOL Press Release April 29, 2020