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CDLE says it will be able to accept unemployment claims from self-employed starting Monday

It will also begin paying out the additional $600 per week claimants receive under the federal CARES Act.
Credit: 9NEWS

DENVER — The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) said it has upgraded its systems to allow self-employed workers to file claims for unemployment starting Monday.

The federal CARES Act paved the way for gig workers, independent contractors and the self-employed to apply for the unemployment benefits they aren’t typically eligible for. This also allocates an additional $600 per week on top of the typical benefits for traditional workers who have filed unemployment claims.

More than 231,000 unemployment claims have been filed in the past four weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of non-essential businesses, according to the CDLE. Workers have said they’ve had difficulty logging into the existing unemployment system online or speaking to a representative on the phone, prompting the CDLE to ask people to attempt to log-in during the middle of the night.

The department also is sending people their PINs via email rather than traditional mail.

RELATED: 231,610 unemployment claims filed in Colorado over the last 4 weeks

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During a call with the media on Friday, Jeff Fitzgerald, the director of Colorado’s unemployment division, said the CDLE has updated its web system and is outsourcing its call center to handle an influx in calls.

The department is also holding two virtual town halls on Monday. One is at 9:15 a.m. and one is at 11:30 a.m. for Spanish-speaking claimants. Registration for both of these town halls is available at coloradoui.gov.

The CDLE said the number of unemployment claims in Colorado is expected to continue to grow, especially as more people are eligible to receive benefits.

In addition to self-employed workers, the CARES Act allows other people who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 to receive unemployment benefits. This includes someone caring for a child because school or closed, or a person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus and can’t work.

The $600 in additional unemployment benefits per week does not require additional action for current claimants and is retroactive to March 29, according to the CDLE.

> Information about applying for unemployment is available here

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