Lamont: Expect longer delay for unemployment

Governor says surge may delay first benefit payments until early May

Connecticut residents out of work as a result of the coronavirus pandemic might not see their first unemployment payment until the first week of May, Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday.

Lamont reported no fresh new surge in claims for unemployment benefits, after the state saw roughly 100,000 file after his March 10 declaration of a public health emergency in response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The state Department of Labor had reported a processing delay of two to three weeks due to staff being overwhelmed by processing applications while working remotely on outdated computer systems. On Tuesday, Lamont said families should tighten the belts for up to two weeks beyond the DOL’s initial projections.

“I’m sad to report that there’s a five-week lag time,” Lamontsaid. “Everything is retroactive, so even if it’s slow for us to get it back to you — it’s not that our heart’s not there, it’s because the technology is 40 years old. And we’re loading in more (staff ) every day to help catch up with that backlog.”

Lamont added the DOL processing is being complicated by an easing of federal and state regulations to get more people qualified for benefits, including solo proprietors and independent contractors. As of Monday, the state labor department was still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor on the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which earmarks an extra $600 supplemental benefit for claims filed through the end of July.

DOL is updating a list of resources and guidance for those seeking assistance, online at ctdol.state.ct.us. Initial claims can be filed at filectui.com.

On Tuesday, Lamont replied “for the foreseeable future” when asked how long he plans to keep in place an order that non-essential workers, public and private, stay home. His Massachusetts counterpart, Gov. Charlie Baker, on Tuesday said his own order would likely stay in place at least through early May.

The Massachusetts governor also issued a ban on hotel room rentals save for people impacted by coronavirus.