Starting a business on unemployment in Oregon

Self-Employment Assistance in Oregon

Yes. Oregon runs Self-Employment Assistance: you keep your weekly unemployment benefit while you start a business full time, with no work search. For dislocated workers. Business ID, EIN and plan within 45 days of acceptance.

How self-employment affects your benefit

You must report self-employment and any self-employment earnings on your weekly claim. Pursuing self-employment you have not reported makes you answer 'no' on availability, and earnings above the partial disregard are deducted. To work full time on a new business and keep benefits, you need the SEA program.

Earnings above the greater of 10 times Oregon's minimum hourly wage or one-third of your weekly benefit are deducted from your benefit (ORS 657.150(6));

Your weekly job search

Complete at least five work-seeking activities each week, at least two of them direct contacts with employers, and give the details on your weekly claim in Frances Online. Oregon residents must register in iMatchSkills and complete a WorkSource Oregon reemployment orientation.

Pontia keeps your job-search record for you and links to WorkSource Oregon / iMatchSkills, so your plan and your search run side by side.

Other help in Oregon

• Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (Oregon Department of Human Services): can fund a self-employment plan if you have a disability.
• Medicaid: Oregon expanded Medicaid, so the new work requirement applies to expansion adults: 80 hours or $580 net a month, and hours on your business count. Planned start: 1 January 2027.
• SBA Microloans of up to $50,000, and free advice from your local SBDC and SCORE mentors.
• On SSI or SSDI: PASS and the SSDI trial work period let you test a business.

Questions