The Cabinet of Ministers’ regulation No. 179 on the idleness benefit for self-employed persons affected by the spread of COVID-19 came into force on 3 April 2020. An annotation to the rules says they aim to prevent self-employed persons from losing all of their income and subsistence through the COVID-19 crisis, and the rules describe how the self-employed qualify for an idleness benefit. This article explores the eligibility criteria for a self-employed idleness benefit, how to apply for it, how much is due and for how long, as well as criteria that prevent the self-employed from receiving it.