Geoff Luxenberg

As of yesterday, a number of new relief resources are now available to qualified residents. Below are updates on unemployment, payroll protection programs, and child care resources.

Unemployment Benefits

Please go to CTDOL website and use the FAQ and tutorial to apply. The more accurate you can be with your application, the better chance for a timely response.

• The additional $600 per week is beginning to appear this week for applicants. Payments will be retroactive. Once an eligible claimant receives the additional $600, they can expect a subsequent lump sum payment with all retroactive weeks (only back as far as effective 3/29) within the next two weeks.
• Those who are self-employed should have the ability to apply for unemployment beginning April 30th
• Please remember to file weekly through the green button on the website so as not to interrupt your continued payments.
• The delay and backlogs for traditional applicants should be down to one week beginning this week
• Please continue to monitor your e-mail daily, including your spam and junk mail folders for information from the Department of Labor

Payroll Protection Program (PPP) – Applications Re-Opened Yesterday

The Federal PPP for small business was replenished by Congress last week, and applications opened again yesterday morning. Click here to apply if you have not done so already. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you are a small business and applied in the last round, your application remains in the queue. Please follow up with the lending agency to confirm your status.
• If you have not yet applied, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, as funds are available on a first come first serve basis. It is expected that, like the last time, the funds will be depleted fairly quickly.
• If you are self-employed or a small business, you can also apply for Unemployment Insurance. You cannot receive both at the same time, but can suspend your unemployment benefits upon receipt of a PPP loan.
• If your bank is unable to process a loan or you have questions, please reach out to Women's Business Development Council and Connecticut Small Business Development Center

Connecticut Office of Early Childhood launches child care program for frontline workers

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood has launched the CTCARES for Frontline Workers Program, which was created to help frontline workers struggling with the costs of child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides subsidies directly to child care providers so that children can get the care they need while their parents or guardians are able to get to work.

Under the program, frontline workers include anyone who must work outside of their own home for at least 8 hours a week caring for people or providing in-person direct services and essential goods. Some examples of frontline workers may include:

• Health care workers
• First responders
• Child care workers
• Grocery workers
• Workers at state facilities
• Home/group home care workers (for seniors, youth, mental health, or people with disabilities)
• People who provide in-person services to any of the above

The subsidy depends on the number of children in the household who need care and the number of hours the frontline worker needs to work.

If a frontline employee works 21 or more hours each week:

• For one child, $200 each week for up to 6 weeks
• For 2 or more children, up to a maximum of $500 per family each week for up to 6 weeks

If a frontline employee works 8 to 20 hours each week:

• For one child, $100 each week for up to 6 weeks
• For 2 or more children, up to a maximum of $250 per family each week for up to 6 weeks

This program is ineligible to anyone already participating in the Care 4 Kids program, and there is a family income limit of up to 85 percent of the state median income to qualify. Applications are being accepted from Monday, April 27 through Friday, May 22, 2020. To apply, call 1-800-505-1000.

For more information, including details on who qualifies, read about the program on the Office of Early Childcare’s website.