According to Cyndi Phillips, chief of staff of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, “This is what we know so far about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance” (PUA):
Who is eligible for PUA? An individual who:
• Is not eligible for regular or extended benefits under State or Federal law.
• Is not eligible for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
• Is otherwise able to work and available for work within the meaning of applicable State law, except the individual is unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because:
» The individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking medical diagnosis;
» A member of the individual’s household has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
» The individual is providing care for a family member or a member of the individual’s household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
» A child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and such school or facility care is required for the individual to work;
» The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because of a quarantine imposed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
» The individual is unable to reach the place of employment because the individual has been advised by a health- care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
» The individual was scheduled to commence employment and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
» The individual has become the breadwinner or major supporter for a household because the head of household has died as a direct result of COVID-19;
» The individual’s place of employment is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency; or
» The individual meets any additional criteria established by the Secretary for unemployment assistance under this section; or
• Is self-employed, is seeking part-time employment, does not have sufficient work history, or otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment or extended benefits under State or Federal law or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation under Section 2107 and meets the regular, extended or PEUC benefits.
This does not include an individual who:
» Has the ability to telework with pay; or
» Who is receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits, regardless of whether the individual meets a qualification period described in the bullet points above.
“We do not anticipate these payments will be available until mid-April and they will be backdated to the date the individual stopped working due to a COVID-19 related cause,” Ms. Phillips said.