IMPORTANT BUSINESS UPDATE
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Self-Employed, Other Newly Eligible Workers Can Apply for Unemployment Today, $600 Fed Payments Begin
From the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity
Michigan’s self-employed workers, gig workers, 1099-independent contractors and low-wage workers affected by COVID-19 can apply for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) beginning Monday, April 13 at 8 a.m. Under the federal CARES Act, workers on state unemployment have already begun receiving the set $600 federal weekly payment in addition to their state benefit amount. Michigan is one of the first states to begin sending the $600 payment.
Newly eligible workers who have yet to apply for unemployment benefits
Self-employed workers, gig workers, 1099-independent contractors and low-wage workers can apply for federal benefits beginning Monday, April 13 at 8AM online at
Michigan.gov/UIA
. Online is the fastest and easiest way to access these benefits. Workers need to use the UIA’s daily filing schedule based on their last names which can be found below. For example, last names beginning with letters A-L should start filing claims Monday.
Newly eligible workers who have been previously denied benefits
Self-employed workers, gig workers, 1099-independent contractors and low-wage workers who have previously applied for unemployment benefits and have been denied should login to their MiWAM account to complete the next steps for PUA federal benefits. These steps will also be emailed to workers. They should not file a new claim, as that may delay the time it takes to get their benefits.
All newly eligible workers will need to provide proof of income to receive the maximum amount they are entitled. This could include W-2s, 1099 tax forms, and pay stubs. These workers will begin receiving federal benefits as early as April 20 after their bi-weekly certification. Individuals on paid sick leave or other paid leave – and those who have the ability to telework with pay – are not eligible for PUA.
$600 federal payments for workers already receiving state benefits
Workers already collecting state unemployment benefits have begun receiving the $600 federal set amount in addition to up to $362 they were previously eligible for. These payments are disbursed at the same time as their state benefits through direct deposit or debit card after their bi-weekly certification.
$600 federal payments for newly eligible workers
Eligible self-employed workers, gig workers, 1099-independent contractors, and low-wage workers will begin receiving their state benefit amount (paid with federal funds) and the $600 federal payment as early as April 20.
Online filing schedule at Michigan.gov/UIA
Customers are encouraged to use off-peak times 8 p.m. – 8 a.m. Earlier today, the UIA announced new resources to help workers resolve online technical issues with their account.
- Last names beginning with letters A-L: file claims on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays.
- Last names beginning with letters M-Z: file claims on Sundays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays.
- Saturdays will be available for anyone to accommodate those who could not file during their allotted window.
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$400,000 in Small Business Relief Grants Awarded to Businesses in Arenac, Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties
Thanks to funding made available through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), four local area economic development organizations were able to provide $400,000 in small business relief grants to 205 businesses in Arenac, Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties.
Saginaw Future Inc. (SFI) worked in partnership with Arenac Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Bay Future Inc. (BFI), Midland Business Alliance (MBA), the Small Business Development Center and Saginaw Community Foundation to review and approve grant applications.
Nearly 1,400 applications were received across the four-county region. Each application was scored based on guidelines set by the MEDC including the company’s working capital needs, employment numbers, status of employees, severity of impact from Executive Order 2020-20 and subsequent orders, and overall impact on the local community.
Among the applications received, numbers for each county are broken down as follows:
- Arenac: 65 submitted, 20 funded, $20,000 awarded with an average grant amount of $1,000 given per business
- Bay: 357 submitted, 28 funded, $80,000 awarded with an average grant amount of $2,857 given per business
- Midland: 244 submitted, 32 funded, $80,000 awarded with an average grant amount of $2,500 given per business
- Saginaw: 713 submitted, 125 businesses funded, $200,000 awarded with an average grant amount of $1,600 given per business
In addition, the four counties will forward eligible applications to the MEDC for possible loan programs. SFI, along with Arenac EDC, BFI and MBA, will continue to collaborate with local, state and national partners on programs to provide additional relief and support to our area's small businesses. A list of businesses that received grant funding from the Michigan Small Business Relief Program will be made available on the
MEDC’s website
.
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Resources for Business and the Community
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The Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce maintains a list of federal, state, and local resources that provide aid and information for your business, employees and our community during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. This information is ever-changing, please check the Chamber's
website,
Facebook, and your email frequently.
We will add links, resources, and updates as information becomes available. We are also converting our At A Glance Newsletter to include Coronavirus links and information as well as local updates, job availability, member coupons and most importantly Member News. Please let us know what your business is doing and how you are functioning during this uncertain time. We need to stay connected and support each other.
If you are offering a service to help the Saginaw County Community or local businesses weather this storm, please email your information to
info@saginawchamber.org.
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Thank you and stay healthy.
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