HARTFORD, Conn. — Fourteen people were arrested at the Legislative Office Building on Wednesday following a protest about the health insurance stipend for home care providers.
Those arrested ranged in age from 28 to 73 years old.
The Connecticut State Capitol Police said they were made aware of a planned demonstration at the Legislative Office Building. Capitol Police monitored the event, and Connecticut State Police and the Hartford Police Department helped in preparations to deal with any possible threats, unrest, or violations.
Demonstrators gathered in the atrium of the LOB and laid down on the floor, refusing to move. Police warned the demonstrators if their actions continued they would be arrested. All were charged with Disorderly Conduct, a misdemeanor under state law.
SEIU District 1199 New England leaders said the protest was planned following the state's "broken promises" to personal care attendants (PCAs), and what it called the state's failure to deliver on the health insurance stipend benefit as outlined in the PCA Union contract.
SEIU said over 1,500 of the state’s 11,000 independent personal care attendants covered by the Union contract will not receive the insurance stipend, up to $1,950 for full-time workers, to pay for their personal health insurance because the application process closed on February 24. The union said the state delayed in submitting its proposal for federal funding approval, and poor efforts to communicate these benefits to PCAs and payroll agencies, The union said fewer than 30 stipends were approved of the estimated 1,500 PCAs who qualify.
Doug Stewart is the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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