Unemployment compensation of $300 a week from Washington is headed to jobless workers in Connecticut, more than doubling what state Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby says is an average of $269 a week in state benefits.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a grant Monday for Connecticut to authorize the additional money for unemployed workers.
Who is eligible?
Recipients of at least $100 a week in unemployment compensation.
Recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, federal funding available to business owners, the self-employed, independent contractors and others.
Anyone who qualified for federal pandemic unemployment compensation that provided the $600 additional federal help.
Workers with a trade readjustment allowance recognizing job losses or reduced work due to trade practices.
Why is FEMA doing this?
A $600 weekly benefit expired at the end of July, leaving millions of Americans who lost work due to business shutdowns in response to the coronavirus dependent on state benefit payments.
When the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and Republican-run Senate failed to reach a compromise, President Donald Trump signed an executive order making available $44 billion in disaster relief.
Who will receive the federal money?
About 250,000 eligible claimants will receive assistance from the state Department of Labor, which will administer the program, Gov. Ned Lamont said.
When will the money be available?
FEMA said it expects disbursements in mid-September.
The program requires states to establish a new process for the unemployed to apply for funding. The state labor department was forced to adapt quickly in the spring to a tremendous increase in applications for unemployment insurance when hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs as businesses closed.
How long will it last?
Funding will continue until the $44 billion approved by Trump is exhausted or the end of the program Dec. 27 is reached, whichever occurs first. The state Department of Labor did not report how much money Connecticut will receive.
Is it retroactive?
States may provide supplemental lost wages payments retroactively, beginning the week of unemployment ending Aug. 1.
Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com.
