West Hartford Mask Mandate Ends Oct. 22

October 21, 2021


 
View this email in your browser
Dear Neighbor,

In case you missed it, the West Hartford mayor announced this week its universal mask mandate and declaration of emergency related to COVID-19 will be terminated effective Friday, October 22, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.

COVID-19 cases in West Hartford have been steadily declining over the past 4 weeks and the town is categorized in the "yellow zone" with a low level of community transmission. Its vaccination rate is also among the highest in our state.

While the universal mask mandate is being repealed, all unvaccinated residents must continue to wear masks indoors in compliance with the statewide mask policy. Masks are also required to be worn by all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, in health care facilities, facilities housing vulnerable populations, public and private transit, correctional facilities, schools, and childcare facilities.

Locally, masks will be required in West Hartford public libraries. Masks will not be required in other municipal buildings. 

To read the full announcement, click here.

 
COVID-19 UPDATE
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisory committee unanimously voted to recommend emergency use authorization of a booster of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after individuals 18 years and older receive their first dose. The committee also recommended a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine six months after full vaccination in people 65 and older and individuals 18 to 64 years old who are at high risk of severe COVID-19. 

Please note that these recommendations are not finalized. The FDA will provide its final recommendation to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices when it meets later this week. Booster shots for these vaccines could be available on October 22, however, the timeline is subject to change. 

To read the Connecticut Department of Public Health's statement on this development, please click here.

If you would like to get vaccinated against COVID-19, please click here to find a location near you.

 
LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
While October is dedicated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, my colleagues and I are committed to protecting survivors of domestic violence every day and every legislative session. During this past session, we passed two major laws focused on domestic violence and empowering survivors.

We made significant updates to Connecticut's Red Flag Law, originally passed in 1999, to enable police to seize deadly weapons besides firearms from individuals who could cause harm to themselves or others. The law was also updated to end the practice of individuals automatically getting firearms back after one year. Now, individuals must apply to get their firearms back, but the court may continue to hold them if there is still clear and convincing evidence the individual is a danger to themselves or others. You can read more about this update here.

We also expanded the definition of domestic violence to include “coercive control” which is defined as threatening, humiliating, or intimidating acts. The law also establishes a new program to provide legal representation for domestic violence victims and survivors who file restraining orders and makes the process to serve restraining orders more efficient. You can read more about this law here.

 
Good news for our CT manufacturers - including those in our community! $8.3 million has been approved through the state's Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF) to support several initiatives to connect people to manufacturing job opportunities and strengthen the job sector. This action follows on the approval of the state budget that appropriated $20 million to the MIF. I'm proud to have supported the budget that invests in the future and our district. You can read more about this initiative here.
 
STATE & LOCAL RESOURCES
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.

 
Join West Hartford Public Schools and West Hartford Parent Community Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Groups this Sunday, October 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for its Back to School Community Celebration for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Families! The event will be at Wolcott Elementary School, 71 Wolcott Road on the blacktop/playground area. This great event will kick off the school year with free ice cream from Ice Cream for a Dream. This is a great opportunity to connect with other Families of Color, as well as district and town community leaders to learn more about the services and resources that can help you reach your dreams for yourself and your family. To register for this fun event, please click here.
 
Have you heard about West Hartford Public Library's 5th annual Kindness Project? This project is about helping the community by collecting donations for those in need. these items will be donated to the West Hartford Food Pantry and Fern Street Universalist Church Backpack Program. New and unopened items that are being collected include:
  • Deodorant
  • Toothpaste/toothbrush
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Toilet paper
  • Tissues
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Soap
  • First aid supplies
  • Hair products
  • Diapers/wipes
  • Razors
  • Cleaning products
  • Laundry detergent

Donations can be dropped off at any of the West Hartford Public Libraries, including the Faxon Branch! You can read more about the Kindness Project here.

 
As always, if I can be of assistance to you and your family, please reach out to me at 860-240-8585 or email me at Kate.Farrar@cga.ct.gov. Follow @KateforCT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol!

Sincerely,

Kate Farrar
State Representative
she/her/hers

Website
Website
Email
Email
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Twitter
Instagram
Instagram

Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe from this list | Update subscription preferences