Unemployment-filter: freelance job, getting paid with two checks..how to claim?

January 21, 2010 2:25 PM

Unemployment-filter: freelance job, getting paid with two checks..how to claim?

So I'm currently unemployed for this month, and I did a freelance job and am getting paid for it. I filled out a W-9 and will be paid as a freelancer. Of course I'm going to claim it on my form, but they are going to pay me in 2 checks a few weeks apart. One is for what I paid out of pocket, the other for my services.

It seems like I'm going to get screwed by getting paid this way, I'm going to loose benefits for things I had to pay out of pocket if I claim the first check. Any ideas?

posted by mattsweaters to Work & Money (5 answers total)

For anyone to be able to give you any information on this, they'll need to know the state. Unemployment rules are going to vary from state to state.
posted by seventyfour at 2:30 PM on January 21, 2010

Depends on the state, but since it's a reimbursement, I don't really see how it counts as getting paid for work. I've gotten reimbursed for OOP things and I would never consider it income.
posted by xueexueg at 2:41 PM on January 21, 2010

Response by poster: oh sorry, California.
posted by mattsweaters at 2:42 PM on January 21, 2010

IANAL. If you are in CA as your profile says, wages are claimed for the week worked, and not the week paid, per the EDD. Also, reimbursements are not considered wages.
posted by Zophi at 2:44 PM on January 21, 2010

Response by poster: Oh, and as for the reimbursements, I had to rent a few camera packages, so I put up quite a bit of money up front.
posted by mattsweaters at 2:47 PM on January 21, 2010