Sen. Akbari: Issue Unemployment Benefits to Self-Employed Tennesseans Without Delay

While some self-employed Tennesseans have been out of work three weeks, Gov. Bill Lee says he is undecided if he’ll distribute funds to them.

MEMPHIS — Gov. Bill Lee’s administration should begin distributing unemployment benefits to self-employed Tennesseans affected by the COVID-19 crisis without delay, Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) said Tuesday.

“It would be unconscionable to even consider cutting self-employed workers out of economic recovery assistance. Some of these workers haven’t earned a dime in three weeks,” Akbari said. “Congress approved money specifically to help these vulnerable workers through this crisis and our state should not delay any longer in distributing these funds to qualifying families.

“Self-employed workers and independent contractors are essential to Tennessee’s economic success — past and future,” Akbari said.

Sen. Akbari’s statement comes after Gov. Lee announced April 6 his administration had not made a decision whether it would adhere to federal guidance on the matter.

The federal government published an unemployment insurance program letter April 5 that addressed self employed workers, independent contractors, and gig workers. It would provide up to 39 weeks of benefits to these workers and is retroactive to January 27.

In a press conference Monday, FOX 17 News asked the governor if the state plans to follow these guidelines.

Reporter: You had said that you had been waiting on some guidelines from the federal government about how to get unemployment benefits to people that are self employed. I believe you’ve gotten those. Are you going to follow those guidelines?

Governor Lee: We’ll be making a decision about whether or not we’re gonna follow that. We haven’t made that decision yet.

​An important component of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act significantly expanded unemployment insurance benefits for U.S. workers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

The legislation increased the amount of weekly unemployment assistance workers receive; extends how long they can receive it; and expands eligibility to nontraditional workers such as independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed.

More than 100,000 people in Tennessee applied for unemployment assistance in March when government actions shut down many segments of the economy.