Unemployment Guidance for Self-Employed Individuals and Gig Workers

May 1, 2020

To help you and our neighbors stay up-to-date on the ever-evolving stream of information related to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, my office and I are working to provide news as it develops over social media and by email. This is a recap of some of this week’s highlights.

Below you can find information on the following topics:

Unemployment Update for Self-Employed Individuals and Gig Workers
Daily COVID-19 Update
Reopening the State
Face Coverings for Essential Small Businesses
SNAP Food Benefits
Child Care Program for Frontline Workers

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.

Unemployment Guidance for Self-Employed Individuals and Gig Workers

The Department of Labor has released unemployment assistance guidance for gig workers and the self-employed.

LABOR DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES NEW SYSTEM THURSDAY FOR SELF-EMPLOYED TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Thursday, the Connecticut Department of Labor began accepting claim applications for the self-employed, many who are eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.

Federal guidelines require that self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers, first apply through the Connecticut unemployment system located on www.filectui.com.

Applicants must receive a determination notice in the mail from the Connecticut Department of Labor before they can apply on the newly-designed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance online system that will also be located at www.filectui.com.

Self-employed individuals will follow this two-step application process:
Step 1). Beginning April 30:

File a regular state claim application with the Connecticut Department of Labor at www.filectui.com, using the BLUE button to file.

NOTE: Self-employed individuals who already filed a claim application through this system SHOULD NOT file again. The agency has these original claims and a duplicate is not needed.

After completing and submitting your application, look for an email from CTDOL: "Thank you for submitting your online application for unemployment compensation benefits with the Connecticut Department of Labor…Please look for a CONFIRMATION EMAIL notifying you that your claim has been processed. This email will include your NEXT STEPS information including instructions for when to start filing your weekly claims."
Look for a second email from CTDOL: “Your claim for benefits has been processed! If this is a new claim then we are sending information regarding your claim via US mail.”
Look for your eligibility determination (Form UC-58 Monetary Determination) that must be sent through the US mail service.
- If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows that you have a “zero” weekly benefit rate (which means you do not have wage earnings in the state system) you are not eligible for state benefits and are eligible to file in the ReEmployCT system for self-employed individuals.
- If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows a weekly benefit rate, you have wage earnings in the state system and are entitled to collect state unemployment benefits.

Step 2). Once You Receive Your UC-58 in the Mail:

Go to CTDOL www.filectui.com for the link to PUA button (this button will be posted to the site next week).
The PUA system will have a record of your state benefit ineligibility status.
Complete the PUA application
- Applicants will need 2019 IRS forms, 1099, 2019 W-2s, and Schedule C.
- Applicants will be asked to provide earnings for 2019, broken down by quarters. Those without tax records for 2019 can self-attest their earnings, but will be subject to audit. ·Applicants will be asked the date when COVID-19 impacted their employment. Federal guidelines allow this to go back to Feb. 2, 2020. If an unemployed status goes back to retroactive weeks, the system asks the claimant for weekly earnings through the current week filing.
Once the PUA application is completed, if applicants did not select a payment method when filing under the state unemployment system, they will select their method of payment (direct deposit or debit card – the agency recommends direct deposit for much faster payment). Payment selection is made by returning to www.filectui.com and selecting the “method of payment” green button

FAQs located on the agency’s homepage are being updated to include a section on the PUA application process, guidelines and additional details.

If you have any additional questions, please visit the CT Department of Labor website.

COVID-19 Daily Update

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, 27,700 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Connecticut. Day-to-day changes reflect newly reported cases, deaths, and tests that occurred over the last several days to week. All data in this report are preliminary; data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected. For a county-by-county breakdown of cases or to view additional data, please click the image above.

Updated List of Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities with Residents Who Have Tested Positive for COVID-19

The below documents are updated lists of every nursing home and assisted living facility in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of related fatalities among residents in each facility. The data was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These lists are updated weekly.

Connecticut Nursing Homes with Residents Positive for COVID-19

Connecticut Assisted Living Facilities with Residents Positive for COVID-19

Governor Signs 34th Executive Order

The Governor signed the 34th Executive Order, Executive Order No. 7GG, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, which enacts the following provisions:

Extension of payment time for sealed ticket revenue due to the state
Waiver of notarization requirement for embalmer’s affidavit accompanying death certificates
Temporary suspension of controlled substance registration
Modification of state contracting statutes to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services
Modification of state contracting authorities to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services
Modification of state construction requirements to facilitate the emergency provision of construction and construction-related services
Extension of existing contracts to prevent gaps in necessary services

Click here to read Executive Order No. 7GG.

DSS Preparing New Medicaid Coverage for Uninsured

The Connecticut Department of Social Services is preparing to implement new coverage for uninsured children and adults in the HUSKY Health program as part of the state's response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This will include:

Medicaid for the Uninsured/COVID-19
Emergency Medicaid for Non-Citizens/COVID-19

Click here to read more about the coverage options.

CT Judicial Branch Expands Remote Capabilities to Include More Family Cases

The Connecticut Judicial Branch announced parties who have an agreement may have their family court cases resolved without going to court.

Under these new procedures for family cases, parties with full written agreements in family court matters can request approval of their agreements without having to come to the courthouse for a hearing. The procedure is available to request the entry of final judgment in any action for custody, visitation between parents, dissolution of marriage or legal separation, or any final order on any motion in such a case, as long as the parties are in complete agreement and file all necessary documents.

State Representative

Kara Rochelle

Majority Whip At Large Proudly Serving Ansonia, Derby

Unemployment Guidance for Self-Employed Individuals and Gig Workers