New Unemployment Benefits

September 10, 2020

Existing Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claimants have already self-certified and do not need to do anything to receive the additional benefit.

New unemployment claimants and existing state and extended benefits claimants who are required to self-certify will be notified by letter or email that they are eligible and may self-certify when the program is open.

To self-certify:

  • Log into your unemployment account - the account main page offers a new option in the menu “Certify for Lost Wages Assistance.”
  • Once you have clicked on the button, a new screen will ask you to certify your unemployment or underemployment is due to COVID-19.
  • You may then then confirm submission and complete the process.

Federal eligibility guidelines include:

  • Recipients of at least $100 per week, including the dependency allowance, of any of the following benefits for the week they are seeking unemployment benefits;
  • Claimants receiving unemployment compensation, including state and federal workers and former service members, as well as those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Extended Benefits, or High Extended Benefits;
  • Claimants who are part of the Shared Work Program; and
  • Workers with a Trade Readjustment Allowance.

The CT Department of Labor will continue to release updates as they become available on the CTDOL Federal Supplements webpage and send them directly to anyone who signs up for “Info to your Inbox” on the agency’s homepage.