May 12, 2021 3:20 a.m.

The Oregon Unemployment Department has launched the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program.

A release said it’s a temporary federal program for “hybrid workers”, or people who have earned W-2 wages and self-employment income. MEUC is the sixth federal benefit program implemented by OED since March of 2020.

Acting Director David Gerstenfeld said he is pleased to have another critical lifeline available for people who are struggling during the ongoing health pandemic. He said, “MEUC was created in response to workers whose past income wasn’t fully being counted”. He said workers who have side income will see that reflected in their weekly benefit amount

An OED release said MEUC provides an extra $100 per week to eligible claimants. Claimants are eligible if, in addition to W-2 wages, they earned a net income of at least $5,000 in self employment work in the most recent taxable year before they applied for unemployment benefits. The release said when claiming weeks of MEUC, residents must of have received at least one dollar in regular unemployment insurance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance recipients are not eligible for MEUC.

OED said MEUC benefits are available from December 27th, 2020 through the week of September 4th, 2021. Eligible claimants will receive benefit payments going back to the week of December 27th, 2020 and then for all eligible weeks their claim moving forward.

For more information about MEUC, go to: https://oedcontactus.oregon.gov/hc/en-us/sections/360012532993-Mixed-Earner-Unemployment-Compensation-MEUC-