Before the Claim

• While there's no law saying the self-employed can't collect Georgia unemployment benefits, the eligibility law requires significant previous work. When you apply for unemployment, the DOL reviews your previous wages for a least $1,134 in the two highest quarters of your base period, which is the first four of the last five full calendar quarters before you file your claim. These wages must be insured wages, or those from employment protected by the Georgia unemployment insurance laws. Self-employed work isn't insured. So, for a self-employed claimant to collect benefits, he must have insured wages to meet the eligibility requirements from another source.
  
  

After the Claim

• If you meet the eligibility requirements and continue to perform self-employed work while collecting benefits, you have a duty to report your earnings to the state. You may still collect partial unemployment if your self-employment is less than full-time and you earn less than your weekly benefit amount plus $50. However, the DOL reduces your payments based on the money earned for the week.
  
  

Weekly Claims Certifications

• If you remain self-employed while collecting unemployment, you report your earnings to the DOL through your weekly claims certification. You log into the website or call the claims line for each benefit week you collect. As you answer each question about your eligibility for that week, you come upon one that asks if you earned any money for the week in question. Enter the total amount earned before deductions whether you received payment yet or not. When you get to the question about how many hours you worked for the week, enter the total amount of hours you spent preparing for, performing and promoting your self-employed work.
  
  

Partial Payments

• Based on the answers you provide the DOL, it distributes your partial payments. Georgia allows you earn up to $50 per week without affecting your unemployment compensation. After that first $50, it deducts each dollar earned from your weekly benefit amount. You receive the rest as you partial unemployment benefit. If you earned more than your weekly benefit amount plus $50, you receive nothing for the week in question.