October 15 Newsletter: Unemployment Benefits & More

Unemployment
October 19, 2021
Dear Neighbor,

We are constantly working to provide updates and important news as it develops over social media and by email. This is a recap of some of this week’s highlights.

For more information about the state's response efforts visit ct.gov/coronavirus. To receive text message notifications, sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system. To subscribe, text "COVIDCT" to 888-777.
 

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Did you know October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month? National Disability Employment Awareness Month began in 1945 to highlight the contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce and to raise awareness of the inequities they face. 

As our state continues to bounce back from the pandemic, it is critical that all individuals in our community have access to employment opportunities. Ensuring that everyone has the necessary employment resources benefits both individual families and our state as a whole. 

In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Connecticut Department of Labor and Department of Aging and Disability Services have announced that Connecticut’s 9th annual Disability Employment Resource Fair will be held on October 22.

The fair will be a virtual event this year. The presentation will include information about resources such as free employment services, transportation, legal rights, assistive technology, education and more!

To register for the fair please click here.

ASL Interpreters will be provided and a PowerPoint of the event will be sent out to all attendees following the event. If you need large print or a Word document, please contact Jill Larmett at jlarmett@capitalworkforce.org. 
 
In addition to the annual Disability Employment Resource Fair, assistance for jobseekers is available virtually and in-person, including at:

  • The Connecticut Department of Labor’s American Job Centers (appointments are recommended). More information is available at portal.ct.gov/ajc.
  • CTHires, which serves as a one-stop resource to search for jobs, create a resume, and find training. More information is available at portal.ct.gov/cthires.
  • Additional job fair that are scheduled frequently across the state. For a full schedule, visit portal.ct.gov/AJC/recruitmentevents.

Please take a moment this month to recognize the strides we have made in disability employment, and all the work we have left to accomplish. 
 

Unemployment Benefits Overpayment Waiver
The Connecticut Department of Labor has recently reported that around 13,000 unemployment benefit recipients received overpayments throughout the pandemic. These claims constitute about $30 million in accidental overpayments. It is important to note that while this amount looks daunting, most of these overpayments were caused by simple errors at little to no fault of the claimant.
 
Since the announcement, many of you have reached out with concerns about overpayments and are wondering, "will I have to pay this money back?"
 
The short answer is, not necessarily. You may qualify for a non-fraud overpayment waiver.

What is a waiver?
 
A waiver forgives part, or all, of the overpayment debt accrued by an unemployment claimant.

Overpayment may be eligible for a waiver if:

  • There was an unintentional error on the part of the claimant, employer, or CTDOL.
  • There was no attempt to obtain unemployment benefits to which the claimant knew they were not eligible (fraud).
  • The Employment Security Appeals Division reverses a decision to grant unemployment benefits and that leaves the claimant with an overpayment debt.

Can I get a waiver?
 
Waivers will be considered for accidental overpayments only. CTDOL notifies claimants that they may be eligible for a waiver during the pre-determination process and sends a questionnaire that the claimant fills out and returns. Most waivers are granted for:

  • A mental or physical condition which would significantly reduce opportunity for employment.
  • An error on the part of CTDOL or the Appeals Division.
  • Claimant bankruptcy.
  • Economic grounds when it’s against equity and good conscience to have an overpayment repaid.

The questionnaire and hearing request must be completed and returned together to CTDOL within 14 days of the mail date (this is on the upper right corner of the pre-determination letter.) 
 
What if I didn’t get a questionnaire with my pre-determination letter?
 
If you didn’t receive a waiver questionnaire, this means CTDOL claims you may not be eligible for one. If you believe this is not correct and that you are eligible for a waiver based on the criteria above, you are encouraged to reach out to the Consumer Contact Center with questions.
  
Please also remember that you can reach out to me if you need any assistance moving forward with this process, I will do all I can to help.
 

Fines for Distracted Driving Increased
As life starts to return to normal and the holidays arrive, many of us will be back on the road again. More time on the road means more opportunities for distracted driving. As of October 1, penalties for texting and driving increased in an effort to stop distracted driving.

Distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of accidents on our roads, with nearly 5,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving in Connecticut in 2020 alone.

Connecticut law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who are 16 or 17 years of age are prohibited from using a cell phone or mobile device at any time, even with a hands-free accessory.

The new fines for driving while distracted are:

  • For the first violation, offenders are fined $200 (was previously $150)
  • For a second violation, offenders are fined $375 (was previously $300)
  • For a third or subsequent violation, offenders are fined $625 (was previously $500)

Throughout the month of October, state and local police will be increasing enforcement of the new distracted driving law.

Please urge your family and friends to put their cell phones away while driving. No text message or phone call is worth putting yourself and others at risk.

For more information, visit www.distraction.gov.
 

Environmental Bills Enacted in 2021
Addressing climate change and protecting our environment are issues that affect everyone in our state, nation and world today. With violent storms, temperatures, and sea levels all increasing, we owe it to ourselves and to future generations to act urgently.

Prior to the start of the 2021 legislative session earlier this year, House Democrats pledged to support policies that would help cut our carbon footprint, reduce the use of harmful chemicals, find equitable and efficient ways to handle solid waste management, promote environmental justice, awareness and education, and protect our state’s precious ecosystem for future generations. Thanks to the work of the Environment Committee and advocates across the state, we fulfilled those commitments.

Below are just a few environment-related bills that became law this year:
 

S.B. 1037, AN ACT CONCERNING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (a.k.a the “Bottle Bill”)
The General Assembly took action on updating Connecticut's bottle deposit program to encourage residents to recycle and keep our beautiful parks, beaches and streets clean.

 

This law, which passed on a bipartisan basis, includes several provisions aimed at updating the bottle deposit program and increasing redemption, such as:
  • Increases the deposit on beverage containers from 5 to 10 cents starting January 2024;
  • Requires certain retailers that sell beverage containers now included in the bottle program to have two reverse vending machines outside of their stores starting in October 2021;
  • Effective in January 2023, updates the types of beverage containers included in the bottle program, such as containers for teas, juices, hard ciders, and hard seltzers;
  • Allocates $5 million through the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to create a grant program for new redemption centers in urban areas, and;
  • Creates a nickel surcharge on nip bottles, which are a major source of litter in towns across the state, at the point of sale. The money will be redistributed to Connecticut towns and cities to use to reduce waste and litter.

This common-sense modernization of the bottle deposit program is one of the most significant pieces of environmental legislation in decades and will go a long way toward cleaning up our communities, reducing waste, and providing people in cities and towns across Connecticut with greater access to redemption facilities.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.

 

H.B. 6441, AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION.

 

Combatting and adapting to climate change must be priority in the coming years. This law helps provide Connecticut's towns and cities with the resources needed to effectively to combat this threat by expanding the Green Bank (which helps create jobs and increase economic development in communities by investing in clean renewable energy projects) and supporting coastal resiliency projects.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.

 
H.B. 6580, AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

Teaching children to lead a healthy and sustainable lifestyle requires covering the importance of locally grown and produced food and a better understanding of the agricultural industry. HB 6580 expands students' opportunities to learn more about food and agriculture through education programs.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.

S.B. 999, AN ACT CONCERNING A JUST TRANSITION TO CLIMATE-PROTECTIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.

Investing in the in-state clean technology workforce is a critical component to combatting climate change in the years to come. SB 999 creates continuity standards across the renewable energy industry resulting in several well-paying jobs for Connecticut residents.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.

S.B. 837, AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF PERFLUOROALKYL OR POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN CLASS B FIREFIGHTING FOAM.

The continued use of forever chemicals like PFAS, which is often found in firefighting foam, pose a significant environmental hazard (in June 2019, the state saw a spill of PFAS containing foam threaten the Farmington River). To better support and protect our environment, SB 837 takes critical steps to reduce our use of PFAS.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.
 
S.B. 840, AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S SHELLFISH RESTORATION PROGRAM, THE CONNECTICUT SEAFOOD COUNCIL AND THE TAXATION OF CERTAIN UNDERWATER FARMLANDS.

A new law extends Connecticut’s PA 490 program to certain aquaculture operations, including underwater farmlands and waterfront property used for commercial shellfishing. The PA 490 program allows farm, forest, open space, and maritime heritage land to be assessed for property tax purposes based on current use value rather than fair market value. In exchange for the reduced assessment, the property owner cannot change the land’s use for a period of time.

CLICK HERE for more information about this law.
 
I look forward to continuing our fight to address climate change and protect our environment in the 2022 Legislative Session.