New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Here’s how Connecticut’s $1,000 employment bonus program will work
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday the state will be offering a one-time payout of $1,000 to people who were unemployed for a long term during the pandemic and who manage to find a new job.
The program, officially known as “Back to Work CT,” leverages federal CARES Act dollars to fund the bonuses, and is designed to “(encourage) long-term unemployed individuals to find work,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
“With the economy humming again, we’ve gotta do a better job of getting people back to work,” Lamont said announcing the new incentive during his COVID-19 press briefing Monday.
He added: “Look our unemployment rate is trending down a little bit; but the work participation rate, meaning the percent of the eligible population that’s working has gone down.”
The Lamont administration estimates there are around 10,000 state residents who have been unemployed for a long term.
The governor compared the program to the signing bonuses given to pro athletes.
“You see the big athletes get a signing bonus, why don’t you get a signing bonus as well?” He said.
How will the program work and who will get the payouts? Read on to find out more.
Who qualifies for the $1,000 bonuses?
The Lamont administration gave three criteria residents must meet to be eligible to receive the payout.
First, unemployed workers will have to show they filed an uenmployment claim in with the state “immediately prior” to May 30 of this year.
Second, they will have to be hired and stay at a full-time job for eight consecutive weeks before Dec. 31.
Lastly, workers who apply for the bonus also can’t receive unemployment payments for the eight weeks of employment.
How is it being paid for? Who’s running it?
The governor’s office said the program “will be supported by Connecticut’s Coronavirus Relief Fund,” which draws money from federal dollars the state received as part of the CARES Act passed at the start of the pandemic.
The program will be run by the state’s Department of Revenue Service.
How can people apply?
The Lamont administration said the state will have a website where people can apply for the program. The site currently contains a link to the press release announcing the program, and a notice saying the revenue department “is in the process of finalizing guidelines as well as an online form for submissions, which will be accessed via the DRS website.”
It directs people to check back in the coming days.
People can access the webpage here: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Individuals/ Back-to-Work/Back-To-Work-Program
What if I’m not ready to go back to work?
Along with announcing the program, the statement from the governor’s office also noted that at the end of May, the state’s labor department will begin to require people receiving unemployment to start searching for jobs.
Those requirements had been halted under federal law, officials noted.
The move comes as many other states have reinstated work search requirements as more and more people are vaccinated around the country.
The process has been met with some criticism— one Tennessee man told the New York Times that after losing his restaurant job, he was advised by his doctor that returning to work could put him at risk due to a medical condition. He’s since begun applying for jobs to meet the state’s work search requirements, but has told prospective employers he won’t be able to work for them.
During his Monday press conference, Lamont noted the state is offering low-cost childcare as part of its recovery efforts, an effort he said would help support single parents returning to the workforce.
He also highlighted job certification opportunities, including for jobs in health care and childcare.
“And finally I also want work to pay,” Lamont said, noting that the state’s minimum wage will increase from $12-an-hour to $13 in the coming months.
“It’s worth looking for that job right now— we need you in restauraunts, we need you in grocery stores, there are a lot of jobs out there,” he said.
When does the program start?
The program begins Monday, May 24, 2021. However, the governor’s office said the first applications will not be accepted until eight weeks after the start date. That puts the application acceptance date around July 19.