In 2021, FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) wrote regulations that excluded self-employed workers from eligibility of FEMA's tool assistance program. This regulatory action has denied access to critical assistance that would help workers get back to work faster after a disaster and in emergency recovery. We have been working with CERF+, the nation's leading nonprofit organization focused on safeguarding artists' livelihoods, in pursuing a change to allow self-employed workers to be eligible for tool replacement assistance.
After a disaster, we know that it is imperative that workers quickly secure the tools they need to earn a living, so they can salvage their businesses. Data shows that this assistance would also be a cost-saving measure for the government by enabling self-employed workers to get back to work more quickly and stay off public assistance during disaster recovery.