3 million self-employed CA residents, gig workers eligible for unemployment benefits but many won’t receive them

Freelance commercial photographer Kyle Petrozza at his home in Los Angeles. “For folks having to deal with this, it has been insanely frustrating,” he said.(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: May 2, 2020 / 01:00 PM PDT

Updated: May 2, 2020 / 01:07 PM PDT

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The good news for nearly 3 million self-employed Californians, gig workers and independent contractors is they are now eligible for special unemployment benefits.

The bad news for many is they probably won’t get them.

“For folks having to deal with this, it has been insanely frustrating,” said Kyle Petrozza, 38, a Los Angeles freelance commercial photographer.

Petrozza is among untold numbers of recently idled workers who have found themselves shut out of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, or PUA, a key provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act signed in March by President Trump.

Read the full story at LATimes.com.