Next steps

This week, Vermont became one of the first states to roll out a system to allow self-employed workers and independent contractors to apply for unemployment benefits. That's through a new federal program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA, as outlined in the CARES Act.

But as soon as the state started taking those claims on Friday, issues arose as thousands of applicants went online to file - some of whom had not seen income since mid-March. Some claimants apparently went straight to the PUA form without filling out an initial claims application first. That initial application is the first step for anyone who had not filed for any unemployment before Wednesday when the system was implemented, according to Vermont Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington. Conversely, some people who had filed the initial application previously didn't see their information transfer over to the PUA form.

"We are getting those cases where that information didn't transfer over for one reason or another," Harrington said during a state press briefing on Friday, adding that those issues were being worked out.

About 5,800 PUA applications had been submitted as of 10 a.m. Friday, Harrington added. Applicants can submit retroactive filings dating back to March 15. The labor department on Friday added another 25 people to a call center handling PUA claim issues, and that center should be up to 70 to 80 people by Monday.

For those 5,800 new applications, a key issue to watch is how quickly those claims can be processed. The state Department of Labor had over 70,000 unemployment claims in the pipeline as of Thursday, even after clearing tens of thousands of claims last week. With well over 40,000 claims likely to come in from self-employed Vermonters, the state's unemployment system will be greatly tested again.

Vermont's unemployment rate sits at 20-23 percent. In early March, it was just over 2 percent. That alone reflects the challenge the state economy faces. The first task is helping people get their basic needs met, and Vermont officials and communities are making that uphill climb. Difficulties persist, but the many ways Vermonters continue to uplift each other are encouraging signs. Many have donated their funds or their time to help neighbors, and those efforts continue. Some days may overwhelm us, but we can glean strength from the fact that we're there for one another, as we move forward amid our common struggle.

— Gareth Henderson