Unemployment claims coming for gig, self-employed workers

MEDFORD, Ore.– Oregon’s gig workers and self-employed have up to this point been unable to collect unemployment. People with jobs such as musicians, contractors, ridesharing drivers or freelance writers have been unable to receive these income benefits for the last month.

Danielle Kelly, a musician and member of local band Danielle Kelly Soul Project, says her band watched as all of their gigs disappeared in the span of a month. Normally, this time of year would be the stretch where they would line up gigs for lucrative performances such as weddings. None of that is coming in anymore.

“Some people solely rely on being able to give lessons to students, perform at gigs, so for me it’s a huge chunk,” said Kelly. “I’m without two thirds if not more of my usual income.”

Kelly says she’s grateful and lucky enough to still have a part-time job at Jefferson Public Radio but it’s still not enough to keep up with all her expenses. She’s tried to file for unemployment like so many others except roadblocks seem to be at every turn.

Both unemployment and self-employment aid doesn’t seem to work as Kelly says she can’t seem to get through to anyone to figure out what she can do. It seems the system Oregon has in place isn’t just confusing to Kelly.

The Oregonian reported this week that the Oregon Employment Department relies on “antiquated computer systems built in the 1990s.” On top of that, federally authorized bonus checks are being double paid to only some Oregonians, there’s been waiting periods and even delays for gig workers and self-employed to get benefits. Governor Kate Brown announced Wednesday however, it would begin processing job claims for gig workers and self-employed by the end of April.

Kelly says with everything that’s happened, it hasn’t been easy.

“You know different lines of work are having all sorts of different troubles so it’s hard to… I don’t know,” she said, “I guess I’m just at a loss for words. It’s pretty confusing, frustrating, upsetting, disheartening.”

An employment department worker told Kelly she should continue filing for when the process does open for gig workers they’ll have a history of her claims to refund.

At this point, Kelly estimates there must be thousands of other musicians facing the same obstacles or in situations much worse than hers.

For her personally, being accepted means she’ll be able to pay for her expenses such as groceries or her phone rather than trying to scrounge what little from friends and family. However, it would affect her on a deeper level too.

“Validation that what we do as artists is valuable to society. There’s all sorts of aid for these defined categories of different employment,” said Kelly. ” It would be validating and emotionally helpful to feel like someone was looking out for us and we were valued as well.”