HARTFORD, Conn — Question:
Hilary wrote, “I am wondering how long the $300 will last and if you can still apply for an extension?“
Answer:
FEMA approved Connecticut for the Lost Wages Assistance program authorized by President Trump. It will allow Connecticut to provide an extra $300 per week on top of the State’s regular unemployment benefit to those unemployed due to COVID-19. FEMA says it’s working with Governor Lamont’s office to implement a system to make the money available.
On Friday, the Governor’s office put out information, which read:
The program requires states to establish an entirely new process for claimants to access the FEMA funding. New unemployment claimants and existing state and extended benefits claimants will be required to self-certify that they are eligible under the federal guidelines. Existing Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claimants have already self-certified. The additional benefit will be retroactive to the claim week beginning July 26, 2020, and will also be available for claim weeks beginning August 2, 2020, and August 9, 2020. Additional weeks are under review.
The Connecticut Department of Labor will be sending out letters to eligible claimants and will have more information once the process is ironed out.
As always, for an individual claim, it’s best to contact the DOL Contact Center to answer any questions about your specific case.