Dealing With Covid-19 Down Time Thread poster: Barbara Cochran, MFA
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The New York Association of Translators held a webinar this week, during which most of those who attended, when given several options, said that their translation businesses have "fallen off a cliff". If that is true for you, what compensatory measures, if any, have you taken or will you take? Do you plan to get more pro-active in offering any of your other language-related skills, such as teaching or tutoring? Or are you able to get any unemployment compensation like translators here in the Uni... See more The New York Association of Translators held a webinar this week, during which most of those who attended, when given several options, said that their translation businesses have "fallen off a cliff". If that is true for you, what compensatory measures, if any, have you taken or will you take? Do you plan to get more pro-active in offering any of your other language-related skills, such as teaching or tutoring? Or are you able to get any unemployment compensation like translators here in the United States can? Or do you find yourself in the enviable position of being able to do a personal translation project during this down time, such as translating Madame Bovary, for example, or of taking a long relaxing holiday you might have been dreaming about for a while, but have been too busy to, up until now? Or any combination of the above? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Marina Steinbach
United States
Local time: 13:28
Member (2011)
English to German
| I haven't fallen off a cliff yet, but I didn't get any unemployment compensation either. | Jun 22, 2020 |
Barbara Cochran, MFA wrote:
Or are you able to get any unemployment compensation like translators here in the United States can?
I haven't fallen off a cliff yet, but I didn't get any unemployment compensation either. Please explain how we here in the United States can get unemployment compensation.
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Please explain how we here in the United States can get unemployment compensation. [/quote]
If you are a sole proprietor, 1099 employee, or a gig worker, you can apply for PUA, ie., unemployment benefits from both the federal and state governments, as along as you can prove that your business has been adversely affected by the pandemic.
I know of at least two translators who applied for it early on and were able to get it.
| | | | IrinaN
United States
Local time: 12:28
English to Russian
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You need to find the appropriate site of your state, which deals with unemployment in general. In Texas it is Texas Workforce Commission, in some it may be Department of Labor, EDD in California and so on.
Try to reach them on the phone. It is a gruesome task, pick a long movie and keep hitting redial:-). It took me 3 weeks on and off! no kidding but that was in the beginning of April. They backpay from the moment your state was declared a major disaster area. I did it and I got it.... See more You need to find the appropriate site of your state, which deals with unemployment in general. In Texas it is Texas Workforce Commission, in some it may be Department of Labor, EDD in California and so on.
Try to reach them on the phone. It is a gruesome task, pick a long movie and keep hitting redial:-). It took me 3 weeks on and off! no kidding but that was in the beginning of April. They backpay from the moment your state was declared a major disaster area. I did it and I got it. At the time PUA applications didn't exist or were underdeveloped so it's much better if you talk to a living person.
For self-employed, it takes some supporting paperwork to confirm that your loss of income was specifically due to COVID-19. Cancellations from your clients stating this reason are the best. Ask them for emails explaining that they were losing clients due to it. In my case everything was very official and was related to canceled travel or lack of incoming foreigners, and clients switching to skeleton crews on site. The interpreters need someone to interpret to:-)
Maybe now things are going faster. The problem is that, first, I had to go through standard application based on W2, and get declined automatically. In parallel, PUA kicked in. Maybe today it's already different. That's why talking to someone is best, the guy took nearly 2 hours to make sure that everything is correct. Considering the situation, he was incredibly patient, thorough and professional.
As far as falling or not falling off the cliff - I paid enough taxes in the US to support a family of career welfare recipients for quite some time so I felt no shame when ~$8K in interpretation assignments over 5 weeks were jerked from under me in a blink of an eye:-). I wasn't the only one.
You'll get 50% of what you would've gotten if made the same money under W2. I got 207/week (as opposite to $415) plus $600/week, $3200/month before taxes. The term for the latter is limited state by state. In Texas you must report your earnings (not profits!) the same week you earned it, not when you receive it. In other words, you need to make less that $200/week to get those benefits. That's why our Republicans are worried that some people won't be anxious to get back to work:-). I couldn't possibly turn around and get the same prospective translation income overnight. I'm partially back to work already and report both working and non-working weeks. There are no guarantees from week to week on all my projects, and I'm not obligated by law, not sure Texas or federal, to accept jobs paying less than 50% of my usual pay according to my qualifications and previous income.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
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Marina Steinbach
United States
Local time: 13:28
Member (2011)
English to German
| Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) | Jun 22, 2020 |
Barbara Cochran, MFA wrote:
If you are a sole proprietor, 1099 employee, or a gig worker, you can apply for PUA, ie., unemployment benefits from both the federal and state governments, as along as you can prove that your business has been adversely affected by the pandemic.
Thank you for this information. My translation business has been adversely affected by the pandemic, so I will try to find out where I can apply for PUA in Florida.
| | | | Marina Steinbach
United States
Local time: 13:28
Member (2011)
English to German
| Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) | Jun 22, 2020 |
IrinaN wrote:
The problem is that, first, I had to go through standard application based on W2, and get declined automatically. In parallel, PUA kicked in.
Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I have applied for Florida reemployment assistance with DEO, but my application was denied. The Notice of Monetary Determination reads "No Florida Wages". Strange, because I have had my LLC for nine years now and file and pay my taxes.
I assume that I (as a sole proprietor) filed my claim at the wrong institution. I will have to find out, where I can apply for PUA in Florida. Perhaps I'll write a letter to our Governor Ron DeSantis, because I don't think that I will have the strength to hang on the phone for three long weeks...
[Edited at 2020-06-22 21:20 GMT]
| | | | Wendy Cummings 
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:28
Spanish to English
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Barbara Cochran, MFA wrote:
Do you plan to get more pro-active in offering any of your other language-related skills, such as teaching or tutoring? Or are you able to get any unemployment compensation like translators here in the United States can? Or do you find yourself in the enviable position of being able to do a personal translation project during this down time, such as translating Madame Bovary, for example, or of taking a long relaxing holiday you might have been dreaming about for a while, but have been too busy to, up until now? Or any combination of the above?
Hi Barbara,
I am in the UK and I was able to benefit from a self-employment compensation scheme offered by our government, which comprised two lump-sum payments, capped at £7500 then £6250. However, the scheme was only open to those whose business had been adversely affected AND whose annual profit was less than £50k (I only met that latter criteria because I had taken maternity leave the year before, so my profits were down. Phew!!).
However, I wish I had had the "downtime" to indulge in projects as you suggest. Nurseries closed so I had to look after my toddler full-time, so no time for work or hobbies!
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