Self Employed Trade Show Worker? You can get assistance retroactively! September 30 2020
This may come as good news for many in the trade show industry. Many trade show workers are self employed. Graphic designers, 3D designers, carpenters, sign makers, marketing staff, etc are a major thread in the fabric of the events, trade show and exhibit industry.
Many of these tradeshow/marketing workers were unable to get state unemployment benefits initially during the Corona virus despite the government mandated closures of trade shows and related businesses. They were also shut out of the $600 per week aid that came from the Federal Government.
Some self employed trade show design workers were actually deemed eligible for State and Federal benefits, only to later be denied. One of our contractors reported their State requiring that they PAY BACK their unemployment, and then re-apply for aid under the PUA due to a technicality in the way that they filled out their benefit checks. This all despite the fact that the forms were filled out with total transparency. The PUA is the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
The Boothologist was called on for assistance in researching the PUA. This blog post is the first phase of research on the PUA. We may follow up with more info later. We found this web page from our friends at Investopedia to be very useful in outlining the PUA program.
Notably, the PUA is RETRO-ACTIVE meaning you can apply for past dates when your employment was incapacitated due to the Corona virus. What's more self employed workers, "... can receive benefits for up to 39 weeks, including any weeks during which the worker received regular unemployment insurance."
If you are a State of Oregon resident, the State has provided a very helpful PDF on PUA for self employed trade show marketing people (and anyone self employed for that matter) spelling out exactly how to fill out the PUA form. Start by going to the Oregon Unemployment website.
Entertainment, events, exhibit and trade show professionals are also getting hit hard in the UK. There, they apparently have no public assistance for the self employed.
Please note that The Boothologist, and Boothster are NOT attorneys, or CPAs. Please consult your attorney and CPA for advice.