Support for Drivers and Families

Rental Assistance: NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is Now Open for Applications. Eligible applicants can receive up to 15 Months of their rent paid. The program also covers utilities including gas and electric. Click here to start your application. This time, organizations are allowed to help individuals apply. They can talk directly with the state as you try to get your application processed. Call 844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368) and ask for an organization nearest to where you live. Click here to find help.

Uber-Lyft-Via-Juno drivers: Because of a legal victory in a case filed by NYTWA and our members, a federal judge has ordered the Department of Labor (DOL) to process Uber-Lyft-Via-Juno drivers’ unemployment applications as employee claims. That means, your benefit rate is according to your gross income. For most Uber-Lyft-Via-Juno drivers, this means you should receive a higher benefit rate than what you were getting when DOL processed you as an independent contractor (and based your rate on net income). In order to receive a higher benefit rate, drivers were told to submit a Request for Reconsideration form. Click HERE to learn about the Request for Reconsideration process and how to submit yours, if you have not done so already. The DOL must pay you at a new rate after your Reconsideration is processed.

The DOL is also required to pay you any back pay owed to you once you have a new weekly rate, to make sure that you get the higher rate for all benefit weeks. We have been back and forth in court to request that the DOL issue back payments without delay according to the court order. Click HERE to read our latest letter to the court. In response to our letter, the DOL promised in federal court to make payments to all Uber-Lyft-Via-Juno drivers they had identified as still needing their new benefit rate and back payments--this time by Friday, December 18th. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A NEW BENEFIT RATE OR BACK PAY AT YOUR FULL, HIGHER BENEFIT RATE, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM IMMEDIATELY, and stay tuned for more information and action alerts!

All Drivers: EIDL deadline for new application, reconsiderations and request for increase has been extended to November 30, 2023. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan is a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to help businesses, including drivers, who are experiencing loss of revenue due to COVID-19. Applicants can receive loans at 3.75% interest for over 30 years. For example, a $15,000 loan would be paid back $69.47/month for 30 years. You do not have to make your first payment until one year after you received the loan. If you decide to pay it back early, there is no penalty. You just have to pay the interest in the first year. Those rejected before can also apply for reconsideration, and those who received funds can request more up to November 23, 2023. Click HERE to learn more about the program.

If you want the union's help to apply for a EIDL loan, apply for the $10K (or $5K) Advance, or file a Re-evaluation after you were denied, sign up for an appointment at the office.

Below, you will also find information about Medallion Debt Forgiveness, Food & Meals, help for parents and students, and more.