PUA Proof Submittal

The Continued Assistance Act of 2020 requires individuals who received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits on or after December 27, 2020, to provide proof of employment/self-employment or a valid offer to begin employment and proof of wages. While PUA claimants were previously only required to provide proof of wages documentation, this new federal requirement to provide proof of employment documentation is a fraud prevention measure.

The deadline to submit PUA proof is August 14, 2021. Claimants must provide proof that they were employed/self-employed and earned wages at some point between the start of the previous completed tax year (January 2019) through the date of their PUA application to show attachment to the labor market at the time the COVID-19 pandemic started or that the claimant had an offer to begin employment or start self-employment but could not do so as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PUA program was effective February 2, 2020, through June 26, 2021. PUA claimants are required to complete this federal requirement even if he/she returned to work, were no longer eligible for PUA benefits, were not receiving PUA benefits when the PUA program ended or are no longer receiving PUA benefits because the program ended.

If a claimant fails to respond timely and/or provide sufficient documentation, eligibility will be reconsidered. The claimant will be denied and required to repay all PUA benefits received during the denial period. In addition, he/she may face possible criminal prosecution if it is determined the claimant misrepresented facts to receive PUA benefits for which he/she was not entitled.

Instructions for Submission

Please log into My UI and upload the requested documents by selecting Upload Documents, PUA Documents, and the appropriate document type.

What document(s) are acceptable proof of employment and wages?

Proof of employment includes but is not limited to:

• W-2 forms
• paycheck stubs and earnings
• leave statements that show the employer's name and address
• 2019 and 2020 IRS Form 1040 and a copy of Schedule C, Schedule F, or Schedule SE tax return as applicable
• 2019 and 2020 State Income tax return as applicable

Proof of employment with organizations such as Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and educational or religious non-profit organizations includes, but is not limited to, documentation from the organizations or signed affidavit by an individual (with name and contact information) verifying attachment to such organizations.

What document(s) are acceptable proof of self-employment and wages?

Proof of self-employment includes, but is not limited to, 2019 and 2020 IRS Form 1040 and a copy of Schedule C, Schedule F, or Schedule SE tax return as applicable, 2019 and 2020 State Income tax return as applicable, 1099 documentation, state or federal employer identification numbers, business licenses, contracts for services, business receipts/invoices, sales records, and invoices.

What document(s) are acceptable proof of an offer of employment?

For individuals who were offered employment but were not able to start the job, proof includes, but is not limited to, a letter from the company offering the work or a signed affidavit by an individual (with name and contact information) verifying the offer of employment.

What document(s) are acceptable proof of self-employment set to start?

For individuals who were starting self-employment but were not able to start the job, proof includes, but is not limited to, property titles or deeds for the place of employment, rental lease agreement, business registration documents, state or federal employer identification numbers, and an assumed name certificate.