Support the Mixed Earner Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020

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My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in [YOUR CITY/TOWN]. 

I am writing to ask that Congress act to protect local creative workers, artists, actors, designers, photographers, singers, entrepreneurs, gig workers, and other cultural workers who are affected by the PUA Mixed Income unemployment benefit flaw. Please support the Mixed Earner Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020 (Schiff & Chu).

Because of an oversight in the original federal legislation, these “Mixed Earners” are not eligible for their full unemployment benefit amount because they earn a mix of traditional employee (W2) wages and independent contractor/self-employment wages in a given year. This is very common for the creative sector. Nationally, forty percent of creators make their income from a combination of W2 employee and 1099 independent contractor or self-employment wages. Two entrepreneurs making the exact same annual income may have two different unemployment benefit determinations. The traditional entrepreneur may be receiving $500 a week, whereas the Mixed Earner entrepreneur may be only receiving $100 a week. Over the 39-week course of the CARES Act, this is a loss of $15,600 in benefits: a staggering amount for any family.

This is rent money. This is food money. Congress cannot allow an administrative problem to push hard-working taxpayers into financial collapse. These taxpayers contribute to the economic success of Minnesota and the nation, and are now without work due to no fault of their own in this unprecedented time.

Please work with your colleagues to make the CARES Act work for the many Mixed Earners in this country by supporting the Mixed Earner Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020.

[YOUR NAME]