BUSINESS: State’s unemployment benefits extension begins.
More than 75,000 Connecticut residents can finally apply for an extension of unemployment compensation under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, following a lengthy delay that left many frustrated.
Passed in March, the CARES Act authorized a new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program that tacked an extra 13 weeks of benefits on for those who already were receiving benefits prior to the mass layoffs triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under normal U.S. Department of Labor rules, unemployment benefits are capped at 26 weeks. PEUC pushes that window out to 39 weeks. A decade ago, DOL created multiple extensions for people laid off during the Great Recession.
Qualifying individuals can now apply for extended compensation at www.filectui.com, with PEUC benefits to be backdated to the point their existing jobless benefits expired.
PEUC is separate from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which allowed selfemployed people to seek benefits.
Prior to Gov. Ned Lamont’s emergency orders that closed many business establishments in March, fewer than 44,000 Connecticut residents were receiving jobless benefits.
Since the week of March 15, the Connecticut Department of Labor has been swamped with initial claims for unemployment filed by retail, hospitality and social services workers. DOL has processed nearly 500,000 claims through last week with filings continuing to grow.