Legislative Update - 10/18/2024

October 18, 2024


 
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Greetings Community!

You may have heard that early voting is underway in some states for the November 5th election, which includes races on all levels. It begins in Connecticut on Monday. There is some important information below about early voting. Please check it out. Other items this week include:

  • Do You Have A  Refund Coming?
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available
  • Southbury Lone Location For In-Person FEMA Assistance
  • Hispanic American of the Year: Jeffrey Moreno
  • Updated COVID-19 Vaccine, Insurance Coverage & More
  • Reminder: CHET Dream Big! Competition
  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Did You Know..

Have a great weekend,
Treneé
EARLY VOTING BEGINS MONDAY
Connecticut will participate in early voting for the first time, beginning Monday, for the Nov.5th general election. Before it gets underway, there is important information to know. Please take a look at the details below.
***The early voting location in West Haven is the City Hall Board of Education side of City Hall 1st Floor Separate Entrance, 355 Main Street***
 
DO YOU HAVE A REFUND COMING?
Did you know there's still time to collect your COVID relief money from 2021? If you're a Connecticut resident and have not received your COVID relief money, there's still time, but it's running out quickly. That's why United Way of Connecticut and its trusted partners will help you get the money you're owed. Whether it's COVID relief money or child credits, click HERE to help you get your money. 
 
DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE 
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) recently announced that FEMA has authorized the agency to launch federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for those residents who experienced job interruption or loss due to the August 2024 flooding. Disaster Unemployment Assistance is a federal program that supports workers whose employment was lost or interrupted by a major disaster and who are not eligible for regular state unemployment insurance benefits. DUA covers workers, some self-employed residents, and the surviving spouses of heads of household who died due to the storm.
 
President Biden approved Connecticut’s major disaster declaration for the FEMA Individual Assistance Program for Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven counties, areas that experienced extreme rain and flooding. Governor Lamont announced business recovery centers to help employers apply for federal aid.

The August flooding caused more than 100 Connecticut businesses to shut down during the storm and recovery. CTDOL urges affected workers to carefully read the eligibility guidelines and file for unemployment benefits immediately. Some residents may recall Disaster Unemployment Assistance from Hurricane Ida in 2021. This program requires that workers file for and be denied state unemployment benefits to be eligible for federal benefits. It’s one more step for approval, but disaster benefits cover a broader cohort of workers who aren’t ordinarily eligible for regular unemployment benefits. 
 
Eligibility for Disaster Unemployment Assistance includes:
  • Residents who live, work, or travel to work through impacted areas—Fairfield County, Litchfield County, or New Haven County.
  • Individuals who were to start work or self-employment but were prevented from doing so due to the flooding.
  • Workers who experienced unemployment or reduced hours due to: flooding to their place of business; road or other closures; lack of work because the business depends on a non-operational entity within the affected area; or experienced injury caused directly by the storm.
  • Workers who have proof of employment, documentation of wages, and earnings for the 2023 tax year
  • Workers who have documentation of wages or lost earnings directly related to the flooding
  • Individuals who became the major source of financial support for a household due to the death of the head of household.

Claimants must first file for regular state unemployment benefits at FileCTUI.com. Once a claimant is found ineligible for state benefits, they must then file for Disaster Unemployment Assistance by calling the Consumer Contact Center.  

Under federal law, the filing deadline for Connecticut Disaster Unemployment Assistance is November 19.
 
SOUTHBURY LONE LOCATION FOR IN-PERSON FEMA ASSISTANCE
If you live in any town in Fairfield County, Litchfield County, or New Haven County, and are seeking to apply for FEMA assistance due to damage from the August 18th storm and flooding, you can visit the Southbury location. Please click on the image below for more details.
 
HISPANIC AMERICAN OF THE YEAR: JEFFREY MORENO
Congratulations to Jeffrey Moreno who was honored today as West Haven's Hispanic American of the Year at the sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration at City Hall for his commitment to his community and cultural pride! To read more please click HERE.
 
UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINES, INSURANCE COVERAGE & MORE
Please see the flyers below for pertinent information about getting updated vaccines for COVID-19 and flu shots that may be helpful for you, your families, and your friends, including scheduling appointments with your healthcare provider, major CT insurance providers' COVID-19 resources, and how to get free COVID-19 tests at home.
 
REMINDER: CHET DREAM BIG! COMPETITION
The state Treasurer's office is hosting their annual Dream Big! Competition, which gives K-12 students the chance to win up to $20,000 toward their education.
To enter, students answer a question through artwork, an essay, or a video. Younger students focus on what they want to do when they grow up, and older students are asked to describe a lesson they’ve learned or a person who has impacted their lives.

The entry deadline is Nov. 4.

To learn more, click here.
 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH: DID YOU KNOW..
Legislation has the power to save lives. 
 
In Connecticut, employers with 3 or more employees must allow workers experiencing family violence to take up to 12 days off in a calendar year for certain issues resulting from the violence, such as the victim needing to seek medical care or attend a related court hearing.
 
As of October 1, 2024, the Safe Leave Act now covers victims of sexual assault.

Need to connect to an advocate?
Call, Text, Chat. Email. 24/7
CTSafeConnect.org  |  (888) 774-2900

As always, if I can ever be of any help, please feel free to contact my office at (860) 240-8585 or by emailing me directly.

Sincerely,

Treneé McGee
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