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Employment and Self-Employment Verification

On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (CAA). This federal law contains a NEW requirement that all claimants who receive a PUA payment on or after December 27, 2020, must submit documentation substantiating their prior employment or self-employment, or planned employment or self-employment during the most recent tax year that ended prior to the date they filed their initial PUA application. For instance, claimants who filed an initial PUA application in 2021 should provide documentation from calendar year 2020, and claimants who filed an initial PUA application in 2020 should provide documentation from calendar year 2019.

Pursuant to the Federal law, failure to submit this documentation by the deadline below will result in your disqualification from PUA, and you will be required to repay any PUA benefits you received after December 26, 2020.

Deadline for Submitting Documentation

The deadline for submitting this documentation depends on the date you filed your initial PUA application:

  • If you filed your initial application for PUA on or after January 31, 2021, you are required to submit documentation within 21 calendar days of your initial application date or the date the employment verification notice was sent to you, whichever is later
  • If you filed your initial application for PUA before January 31, 2021, you are required to submit documentation within 90 calendar days of your application date or the date the employment verification notice was sent to you, whichever is later

Types of Acceptable Documentation

Proof of employment includes, but is not limited to: 

  • Paycheck stubs
  • Earnings and leave statements showing the employer’s name and address
  • W-2 forms

Proof of employment with organizations such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and educational or religious organizations includes, but is not limited to: 

  • Documentation of your employment provided by the organization for which you worked
  • Signed affidavits from people who can verify your attachment to the organization for which you worked

Proof of self-employment includes, but is not limited to: 

  • State or Federal employer identification numbers
  • Business licenses
  • Tax returns
  • Business receipts
  • Signed affidavits from people who can verify your self-employment

Proof of the planned commencement of employment may include, but is not limited to: 

  • Letters offering employment
  • Statements or affidavits signed by individuals verifying an offer of employment, including the individual’s name and contact information

Proof of the planned commencement of self-employment may include, but is not limited to: 

  • Business licenses
  • State or Federal employer identification numbers
  • Written business plans
  • Lease agreements

All documents provided should be from the most recent tax year that ended prior to the date you filed your initial PUA application. You do not need all of the documents listed above; only those relevant to your work history. Additionally, if you do not have any of the documents listed above, you may submit copies of other documents that you believe would demonstrate your prior employment or self-employment, or planned commencement of employment or self-employment. You do not need to submit documentation to cover the entire applicable tax year. You only need to submit documentation that demonstrates the existence of employment or self-employment at some point between the start of the applicable tax year and the date of filing your initial PUA application. The documents you submit will be evaluated by DES.  

If you have already provided wage documentation that meets the above requirement, you do not need to submit additional documentation. DES will review your documentation and contact you if further action is required.
 

How to Provide Documentation

The quickest and easiest way to submit your documents is online in the PUA claimant portal, following the instructions below. NOTE: Some steps might be slightly different based on the device you use to access the PUA portal. You can upload up to seven documents at one time under each document description; however, each document may include multiple sheets.

  1. Log-in to the PUA portal.
  2. On the left-hand side menu go to “Upload a Document.” IMPORTANT: In the “Document Information” section, you should choose the applicable document description and add a document tag (description of document).
  3. In the “Attach Document” section, click “Choose File” next to “Location.”
  4. Navigate to the document on your device and click “Open.” 
  5. When you have selected the document you want to upload, click “Save.”
  6. You will be taken back to your Dashboard and can verify the document you uploaded by navigating to “View My Document” on the left-hand side menu.

You can fax your documents to DES at:

(602) 362-5391 (Phoenix) or (888) 417-3639 (Toll-Free)

Specify PUA on the cover page to expedite the proper routing of your documents and include your: name, address, and Social Security Number (SSN). On the top of each page you submit, write your name and SSN.

You can mail your documents to DES at:

Department of Economic Security 
Unemployment Insurance Administration
ATTN: PUA Processing / MD 5895
P.O. Box 29225
Phoenix, AZ 85038-9225

On the top of each page you submit, write your name and Social Security Number.

Failure to Provide Documentation

If you do not submit documentation of employment or self-employment, or planned commencement of employment or planned commencement of self-employment by the deadline above, you will be disqualified from PUA, per federal law. You will also be subject to an overpayment of PUA and FPUC for any weeks you received benefits after December 26, 2020. If you cannot submit your documentation by the deadline, you must contact DES at 1-877-600-2722 and request an extension. All extension requests require the claimant to show good cause for being unable to meet the deadline.

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