Unemployment and Freelance Work

[sweetheart1311]

My question involves unemployment benefits for the state of: GA

Hello,

I'm new and in desperate need of help!

I've been receiving unemployment payments since April 1st. I moved to CA a few days ago and completed a one day freelance project. When I reported it during the weekly certification process last Monday, I received a message saying that my claim cannot be processed and I had to report to 'the office'.

So I called GA DOL and told them I have to change my address and also somehow report to the office to resolve my claim issue. I was told that I had to go to the nearest DOL location in CA and fill out some form there. I called CA DOL and was able to change my address over the phone.

In order to report my income, I was told I had to call GA DOL again! In the meantime, I got no money for that week, and won't be getting paid for freelancing for another month (Net 30 terms). I went online to check the status of that week's claim just to find out that MY PIN HAS BEEN SUSPENDED!!! So I won't be able to certify next week, either. And won't get paid at all until SOMEONE tells me what the heck I have to do!!! This is so ridiculous! I regret that I accepted that freelance job in the first place and can totally understand why so many people are not reporting their additional income!!!! The government is not making it easy for us!!!

Anyway, I am trying to see if anyone has been through this and how it all worked out. Thanks

[Mr. Knowitall]

Lots of people are frustrated by the unemployment system, and given how overloaded state offices are lots of people are suffering from delays.

Did you have a question that somebody here might try to address, or are you just venting. (Nothing's wrong with venting, as such, but I want to make sure we're not missing your question.)

[KeyWestDan]

Your biggest mistake was not reading the questions properly. They ask, did you work and earn income THAT week. You neither worked in my opinion or earned income. The income was not earned that week for sure.

Also, something people do not understand sometimes, is that Unemployment Insurance is NOT welfare. It makes no difference how much money you have coming in. It makes no difference how much money people give you or what sources of income you have UNLESS you are working for an employer and receiving a paycheck. You could be selling your stuff on eBay to make money. That is income, but NOT employment and you don't pay income tax on stuff you already paid tax on when you earned the money to buy it and paid sales tax on it.

If you want to be fully legal, form a corporation and have freelance work paid to the corporation. It is not YOUR income. Don't pay yourself, just pay bills and expenses related to your freelance gig. Buy the business stuff. You get to use it too. Duh. You will be more professional that way, can get a business account, merchant account, etc. Anyone doing any freelance or consulting work should do that.

Unless you are working part or full time, and the employer is paying UC and reports your employment to UC, nobody knows what your income is. Income is not the issue, working for an employer is. Yes, they ask about self employed income, set up a corporation and ignore the question.

We all know the financial condition of CA and they will cut you off for any reason. Big mistake that you now have to fix.

There are no shortcuts or advice anyone here can give that will make any real difference.

[sweetheart1311]

Did you have a question that somebody here might try to address, or are you just venting. (Nothing's wrong with venting, as such, but I want to make sure we're not missing your question.)

I was just hoping that someone has been through the same process and has any advice or just a story to share. After spending half a day on the phone with a dozen of DOL reps I'm still as lost as I was before.