Federal Supplements
For your own security, we urge all claimants to change your account password frequently, use a strong password, and do not use similar passwords across multiple sites.
Lost Wages Assistance is the federal program funded by $44 billion in Stafford Act disaster relief. It will provide an additional $300 per week for any claimant who has a weekly benefit of at least $100 (including the dependency allowance) and who was unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19 and filed for unemployment benefits for these weeks: claim week beginning July 26, 2020. It will also be available for claim weeks beginning August 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2020.
The supplement will be disbursed to claimants beginning September 17, 2020 and will be deposited into accounts in several payments.
- Retroactive payment 1 for the week beginning July 26
- Retroactive payment 2 for the weeks beginning July 26, August 2, & 9
- Retroactive payment 3 for the weeks beginning July 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30
Claimant self-certification is now open to all claimants.
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 are notified by the Department through letter or email.
Self-certification is only required once for the duration of eligibility, it is not required weekly. To self-certify:
- Claimants log in to their unemployment account, where the account main page offers a new option in the menu ‘Certify for Lost Wages Assistance;’
- Once a claimant has clicked on the button, a new screen will ask them to certify that their unemployment or underemployment is due to COVID-19;
- The claimant then confirms their submission and has completed 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 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will terminate the program once available federal funding is exhausted or if the federal government passes legislation that replaces the program. The program is expected to provide $375M additional unemployment benefits to Connecticut claimants.
CTDOL will continue to release updates as they become available and will send updates directly to anyone who signs up for info to your inbox on the agency website.
How do I know if I am eligible for the Lost Wage Assistance Program?
How Do I Apply for Lost Wage Assistance?
Lost Wages Assistance frequently asked questions
Press releases:
September 9, 2020 Connecticut Approved for Two Additional Weeks of Lost Wages Assistance
September 1, 2020 The Lost Wages Assistance Program
August 21, 2020 Gov. Lamont Announces CT FEMA Application
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC) $600 weekly supplemental expired on July 25, 2020. Connecticut is prohibited by law from continuing this program without federal re-authorization. All eligible applications for benefit weeks between March 29, 2020 and July 25, 2020 will include the $600 supplemental payment including any retroactive payments.