Pandemic Unemployment claims can be filed starting Saturday

Nevadans eligible for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program can begin filing online Saturday, May 16, the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation has announced.

The new system will begin to accept PUA claims at www.employnv.gov, and the first payments are expected to be made beginning May 23, 2020.

The new filing system will be independent of the traditional Unemployment Insurance system and will facilitate a streamlined method for the public to file for PUA benefits. Claimants will have a dedicated call center for all PUA related questions with a new phone number: 1-800-603-9681.

The PUA program is one provision under the federal CARES Act and is designed to offer unemployment benefits to independent contractors and others historically unable to qualify for traditional unemployment insurance benefits.

The following individuals may be eligible for PUA: self-employed, 1099 contract workers and gig workers; employees whose wages are not reported for unemployment insurance; employees who have not earned enough wages or worked enough hours for standard unemployment benefits because of COVID-19; and people who were unemployed or going to start work but could not because of to COVID-19.

Claimants must be able and available for work as defined in state law, must have prior earnings in Nevada or a job offer to work in Nevada and must not be eligible for any UI benefits, including regular UI, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and State Extended Benefits.

DETR contracted with Geographic Solutions to implement the new claim filing system.

“We are excited to partner with GeoSol to provide this critical resource to eligible Nevadans. We know there is a high demand and expect our call center and claims portal to be very busy the first few days,” DETR Director Heather Korbulic said.

Geographic Solutions has successfully implemented similar systems in several other states, including Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Staff will closely monitor the PUA site. The phone line will be open for PUA claimants from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday May 16, and Sunday May 17, as the system launches and will be monitored by the Alorica call center. After the first weekend, operating hours for the PUA call center will be 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.–noon Saturdays.

The Alorica call center is no longer taking general information calls effective 8 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 2020. Questions about standard Unemployment Insurance can be answered by visiting www.ui.nv.gov or can be directed to DETR call centers at 702-486-0350 and 775-684-0350.