Black History Month, State Updates & Resources

blackhistorymonth
February 1, 2022

 

Please see below for a message on the start of Black History Month, as well as some important notices and State updates: 

 
Although today is the official start of Black History Month, it does not and should not start and stop in the month of February. Black History should be seen in the curriculum of students all year long, and be reflected in our homes every day. This should be the goal!
 
Thank you to all the Public Work plow truck drivers and staff for your work to clear our roads and keep people safe this weekend. We appreciate you!
 
Have you registered for or received #PaidLeave?
How will #CTPaidLeave help you and those you love?
 
Connecticut’s hugely popular Paid Family and Medical Leave Program -- passed into law by Democrats in 2019 -- will begin paying out claims to expecting parents and caregivers of family members.
 
Visit www.ctpaidleave.org to file a claim!
Full- and part-time workers who have paid into the program – the vast majority of Connecticut workers – will be eligible to receive benefits up to $780 per week should their applications be processed, and up to $900 per week after minimum wage increases take place in 2022 and 2023.
 
The following individuals will be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave for events occurring began January 1:
  • Parents welcoming a new child into their families by birth, adoption or foster care
  • Workers who develop serious health conditions or whose loved ones are dealing with serious health conditions
  • Organ or bone marrow donors post-donation
  • Workers caring for family members injured during active duty military service or facing urgent needs due to a family member's overseas deployment
  • Individuals impacted by family violence will be eligible to receive up to 12 days of paid leave benefits for medical or psychological care, to seek care, relocate, or participate in court proceedings.

 
To file a claim, program officials recommend visiting www.ctpaidleave.org, although applications can also be sent via email, fax, mail or phone.
 
FYI: This past year I was happy to support a program to provide legal representation for low-income Connecticut renters. Connecticut's right to counsel law, passed in June, establishes a program that gives tenants who earn up to 80 percent of area median income access to free legal counsel in eviction proceedings. Visit https://www.evictionhelpct.org/ for more info. 
 

Dating as a teenager can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very complicated. Relationships, whether they are between two adults or two teenagers, exist on a spectrum, from healthy to unhealthy to abusive. The most important thing to remember is that love should never hurt, either physically or emotionally, and that you have the right to feel safe and good about yourself.

If you believe you are a victim of teen dating violence defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship, we encourage you to talk to a trusted adult in your life.

You can also connect with an advocate at Safe Connecticut by visiting: CTSafeConnect.org or texting/calling (888) 774-2900