‘Wait’ Becomes Operative Word for Gig Workers Seeking Aid (1)

To frustrated gig workers flooding state support lines and legal aid offices, wondering why they can’t get the unemployment assistance designated for them in coronavirus relief legislation, most states’ messages come down to some version of “wait” or “keep waiting.”

State officials nationwide are assuring independent contractors such as Uber and Lyft drivers sidelined by Covid-19 that they may be eligible for unemployment compensation, but only after computer systems are reprogrammed in accordance with the stimulus law and guidance from the Labor Department that some still find confusing.

In Arkansas, Commerce Secretary Michael Preston said his department needs to “build ...