- Connecticut Department of Labor debuts Disaster Unemployment Program related to the remnants of Hurricane Ida in early September
- Program helps those who lost work due to the storm and are ineligible for traditional state benefits
- Applications must be submitted by Dec. 13
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Connecticut workers who found themselves unemployed or reduced hours due to flooding and other damage from the remnants of Hurricane Ida in early September can apply for federal assistance, the Connecticut Department of Labor has announced.
Dante Bartolomeo, interim commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor, announced that the agency has introduced a federal Disaster Unemployment Program for people who experienced a job interruption or loss as a result of the storm. The program is available to people in Fairfield and New London counties as well as the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations.
“We urge anyone who lived or worked in the path of the storm to carefully read the eligibility guidelines and, if they meet the program requirements, to start the application process right away,” said Bartolomeo. “This will be a new program to many—Connecticut residents last used DUA 10 years ago after the October ice storm. The Consumer Contact Center, the American Job Centers, and the CTDOL website can help filers navigate the process.”
- The program supports people who are not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits, and its coverage is available to workers, some self-employed people, and the surviving spouses of heads of household who died due to the storm; applicants must file for regular state employment first
- Eligibility is also determined based on factors such as whether the applicant lives, works, or travels to work in the affected region, and if they lost their job or had their hours reduced due to storm damage at their employer, road closures, or a lack of work because the business depends on a non-operational entity within the affected area
- The deadline to apply is Dec. 13