Connecticut Department Of Labor Unemployment

Connecticut Employers Receive Fraudulent Unemployment Claims

A local employer is raising concerns after a number of companies discovered what they believe are fraudulent unemployment claims through Connecticuts new unemployment system.

Leaders at the Unemployment Tax Management Corporation said more than 50% of unemployment claims they received on behalf of their clients through ReEmployCT since July 24 were fraudulent.

Officials with the Department of Labor said the new unemployment system is working as it should.

They said the system cross checks for fraudulent activity, but employers are among the first line of defense against fraud when information about a claim looks suspicious.

Officials said employers who receive fraudulent claims should respond to DOLs notice of claims request if it appears to be fraudulent.

UTMC, a third-party unemployment compensation service provider, is encouraging clients to review any new claims for unemployment that they received since July 5.

Program Launch

The Department of Labor launched ReEmployCT to replace the 40-year-old technology that previously supported the unemployment compensation program.

The new system is designed to streamline the filing process for unemployed workers and the estimated 115,00 employers who pay into the states Unemployment Trust fund.

Per the requirement, employers created a new account and credentials through the ReEmployCT website.

All unemployment tax payments and claim-related notices and documents are online under the new program.

Further Claims

Unemployment Rate Falls To 37% State Adds 6500 Jobs June Jobs Numbers Revised Up

Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo released July labor market data showing strong gains across many sectors of the economy. The unemployment rate, on a downward trajectory for more than a year, dropped another 0.3% to 3.7%. Employers added an estimated 6,500 jobs in July and June job growth was revised up by 1,300 to 3,000.

When And How Will I Be Paid

Connecticut gives unemployment insurance benefit recipients two options to receive a payment. You can choose to either receive payments via direct deposit into your existing checking or savings account, or you can collect benefits through the use of a debit card that is issued to you. Log into your account click on Manage Your Unemployment Claim and File your Weekly Claims, then go to Select/Modify Payment Option.

If you dont select an option, you will automatically receive a debit card. When you receive benefits, the amount is loaded on to a debit card which can be used anywhere a debit card is accepted. You can switch to either method at any point.

If you select Direct Deposit as your option, it will take about two business days to process your deposit after you file your weekly claim.

If you choose the Debit Card option, the card will be mailed to you in about 710 days and then it will take about two business days after your weekly claim is processed thereafter for funds to be loaded on to your card.

NOTE: Unemployment benefits are fully taxable by the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Connecticut. You can choose to have taxes withheld at the time you file your new claim.

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Labor State Of Connecticut Department Of: Unemployment Insurance

Update: June, 2022 CTDOL is beginning the transition to the new unemployment system, ReEmployCThereTRANSITION WEEK:

• New applications for unemployment will be accepted until 4pm Monday, June 20, 2022. The system then goes into transition. Applications may be filed on or after July 5, 2022 in the new ReEmployCT system.
• If new applicants miss filing on June 20th, they may file the retroactive week on July 5th.
• Existing filers may submit their weekly certification claims until June 26, 2022. The system then goes into transition. Filers may resume weekly certification on or after July 5, 2022.
• If filers miss filing on June 26th, they may file that week retroactively on July 5th.

Telebenefits Phone Numbers for assistance with general questions or guidance for claims and filing, :

• Ansonia/Hamden/New Haven areas 203-230-4939
• Torrington area 860-482-5581
• Waterbury area 203-596-4140
• TTY English 800-842-9710 TTY Spanish/Espanol 800-680-3746 Interstate claims 860-256-3900 FOR OUT OF STATE CALLERS ONLY WILL NOT WORK IN CT 800-942-6653

• Address200 Folly Brook BoulevardWethersfield, CT 6109

Tell us about the person youre helping:

• Please contact provider for languages spoken by staff.

How To File A Claim For Unemployment Benefits In Connecticut

You may file your claim for unemployment benefits online, by phone, by fax, or by mail. You can find online filing information and contact information on the DOL website. Once you file, you must continue to file weekly claims with the DOL for each week for which you are claiming benefits.

Once it receives your application, the DOL will send you some documents, including a Monetary Determination Letter indicating your potential benefit amount and duration.

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Connecticut Commissioner Of Labor

The Connecticut Commissioner of Labor is a state executive position in the Connecticut state government. The commissioner heads the Connecticut Department of Labor, which enforces state labor laws and regulations, mediates labor disputes, and produces research and analysis of the state’s labor market.

Cts Unemployment Rate Falls To 37 Percent

HARTFORD, CT Connecticuts labor market report showed strong gains in the states economy for the month of July.

Connecticut Department of Labor commissioner Danté Bartolomeo released the data on Thursday.

She said the unemployment rate, on a downward trajectory for more than a year, dropped another 0.3 percent to 3.7 percent. Employers added an estimated 6,500 jobs in July. Also, June job growth was revised up by 1,300 to 3,000.

Connecticuts unemployment rate is now at historic lows, Bartolomeo said. This is continued good news for job seekers across every industry sector and every demographic. While state economists continue to be vigilant around the impact of energy costs and inflation, Connecticut is showing strong and steady month-over-month progress both in pandemic recovery and outside of the market anomalies caused by the pandemic.

Job gains in July were notable in manufacturing, which was up 700, and construction up 1,500.

The warm weather last winter created a long construction season so that industry has now recovered 112 percent of the jobs lost during the pandemic, said Patrick Flaherty, director of research, CTDOL. Additionally, the healthcare sector, which was hit hard throughout the pandemic by illness, burnout, and death, is also regaining jobs. These are good indicators for Connecticuts economy and a strong overall report.

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How Do I File An Appeal If Im Denied Benefits

If you are denied benefits for any reason, you may be able to request a hearing with an Adjudication Specialist. You can file an appeal to any full-service American Job Center, through the Internet, or by faxing your appeal. Full-service American Job Centers are located in Hartford, Hamden, Waterbury, Bridgeport, Montville, and New Haven.

The hearing will be conducted by telephone, and you will receive an advance notice detailing the time and day it will take place. You will have the ability to present evidence, documents, or witnesses to support your claim. You also have the right to be represented by anyone you choose, including an attorney.

If your claim is denied, you can make an appeal to the Board of Review within 21 days of the mailing date of your notification. If you lose your appeal to the Board of Review, you can appeal that decision to the states Supreme Court within 30 days.

Mans Health Takes Unexpected Turn After Covid Finds Care In Connecticut

Unemployment insurance is a social safety net. Its not one that we often think about, but we became very, very much aware how much the residents of Connecticut depended upon the benefits we were administering just to put food on their table and a roof over their head, Bartolomeo said.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the department had more than 20,000 people registered in the system, and 7,600 certified for their weekly benefits. Some, however, are experiencing technical difficulties.

Kate Mertens from Hartford submits her claim every Monday, but the switch over forced the old site to shut down the last Sunday in June, leaving Mertens without a weeks worth of pay. She wishes she had a little more notice from the state.

Im managing but Im sure there are a lot of people that are not, Mertens said. To me, its a big deal. Im dipping into what little savings I have to cover myself.

Bartolomeo said anyone who didnt file by Sunday, June 26 will still have the ability to apply through Saturday, July 9 for those benefits.

We have made accommodations with the American job centers. We have multiple computers in those systems. Someone can walk in and sit, and I have someone ready to assist them if theyre having difficulty, Bartolomeo said.

If you are having issues with the site or logging on it, officials recommend scheduling a call back appointment.

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Ct Department Of Labor Updates Unemployment Compensation

I would like to provide you with an update regarding unemployment compensation in Connecticut. The information below is based on the latest details released by the states Department of Labor .

Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby today announced that the agency has launched a new Consumer Contact Center tool that will help residents who need unemployment claims assistance. The new feature, accessed through the www.FileCTUI.com page, allows people to schedule a call back up to two weeks out. Additionally, the agency released early application timelines for the new federal Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program established under CARES Act II.

Commissioner Westby said, Demand for unemployment assistance continues to be very high and is climbing due to the CARES Act II. In just six months, the Contact Center has fielded nearly 600,000 inquiries. The newest federal programMixed Earner Unemployment Compensationwill generate additional benefits for some claimants and additional inquiries to the Contact Center. January is when we see a seasonal uptick in claims filing as well, so we are asking people to please be patient when trying to get a hold of us. This new scheduling system will certainly help us connect with our customers and will eliminate some uncertainty for them.

MIXED EARNER UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

Man’s Health Takes Unexpected Turn After Covid Finds Care In Connecticut

The agency released a statement to NBC Connecticut Friday:

ReEmployCT is preventing unemployment fraud and overpayments. The system and the legacy system before it have always notified employers when unemployment claims are filed against that company. This is one of the first lines of defense against fraud and improper payments. The agency has always, and continues to urge employers to respond to those notices quickly. Delays in response can cause improper payment and non-fraud overpayments that people then need to pay back to the Department.

Improper claims are amongthe first fraud indicators and that an identity has been stolen. Once a criminal has stolen an identity, they try to open unemployment claims as well as bank and credit accounts. ID theft generally occurs after retail or commercial breaches or if people give out personal information online, on the phone, or by text. This information is available on the dark web for purchase so its important to change passwords often to render that information less useful to criminals. We have other recommendations on our Prevent Fraud webpage.

All states see imposter claims, new programs and services are often catalysts for increased criminal activity. In Connecticut, we have a robust system in ReEmployCT and multiple other fraud checks and crosschecks that help identify improper claims before they are paid. CTDOL is always prepared for imposter claims and has multiple checks in place to flag them and prevent payment.

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What Information Do I Need To File A Claim

Before you file a claim, you will need to have several pieces of information in hand to support it:

• Social Security number
• The reason why you lost your last job
• Alien registration number if you are not a US citizen
• A DD Form 214 if you were on active military for any part of the past 18 months
• A Standard Form 8 and Standard Form 50 if you worked for the federal government at any time in the past 18 months
• All employment information for the past 18 months, including contact information and dates worked
• Additional wages you have received from vacation, severance, or other sources
• Other states where you have worked in the past 18 months
• If you choose to have your payments made by direct deposit, you will also need to supply appropriate information for that option .

Five Things You Need To Know

In April 2021, state labor officials reported that of 1.4 million applications for unemployment benefits received since the start of the pandemic the previous year, about 100,000 were identified as fraudulent. Most involved identity theft and false information.

Manalan said 115,000 claims were held and $3 billion was protected from improper claims.

Its too early to know how successfully ReEmployCT has blocked fraudulent claims, she said. A claim flagged as improper may not be fraud, and those who are accused may appeal in a process that takes months.

The Connecticut Business & Industry Association posted on its website warnings about unemployment insurance fraud. It reminded employers they are the first line of defense against fraud by notifying state labor officials about claims that are valid or not.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo unveiled the revamped unemployment benefits system July 6 following a six-year makeover of the outdated computer program that strained under the volume of unemployment claims during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses where shut to contain the virus.

At the peak of the employment crisis in early May 2020, the Department of Labor worked through about 390,000 weekly unemployment insurance claims, or nearly one-fifth of Connecticuts labor force.

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Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work

To maintain your eligibility for unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to accept a job, and looking for employment. If youre offered a suitable position, you must accept it. For the initial unemployment period, whether a position is suitable depends on several factors, including the level of skill and training required, the similarity between the work and your previous employment, how much the position pays, whether it poses a health and safety risk, and the distance between the job site and your residence. However, as time goes on, you will be expected to modify your standards and consider accepting work that requires less skill or that pays lower wages.

You must conduct a reasonable search for work. You should keep a record of your job search efforts, including the employers you have contacted, the dates you made contact, and the outcome. The DOL may contact you or your employer contacts to verify your efforts.

How To Appeal A Denial Of Unemployment Benefits In Connecticut

If your claim for unemployment is denied, you have 21 days to appeal the decision with the Appeals Division. Your request for appeal must be in writing .

After receiving your appeal request, a hearing will be scheduled to receive evidence from both you and your employer. A Referee will preside over the hearing and send you written notice of his or her decision. If you disagree with the Referees decision, you can appeal to the Board of Review within 21 days. And, if you disagree with the Boards decision, you can appeal to the Connecticut Superior Court within 21 days.

The DOL provides additional information on the unemployment process at its website, including how to apply, eligibility requirements and benefit amounts, appeals procedures, and much more.

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Which Demographic Groups Are Impacted The Most

We looked at UI applicants age, race, and education to understand which subgroups got impacted the most. We divided the number of claims in each subgroup by the respective labor force size to calculate what percentage of that demographics got impacted. Conclusion: the young, the ones with fewer years of education, and workers of color were more likely to apply for UI benefits.

We used 2018 ACS 1-year data for Connecticut to estimate % of labor force that got impacted.

How Much Will I Be Paid

After you submit a new claim, it will be reviewed, and a Monetary Determination Letter will be mailed to you. This will state the benefit amount you may qualify for, as well as showing you how that amount was calculated. Your amount is heavily dependent on how much wages you earned during your base period.

The 52 weeks after your claim becomes effective is your Benefit Year. This is the period that you can collect your maximum benefits, which is 26 weeks out of the Benefit Year.

The 12-month period from which wages are used to calculate how much your benefits will be is called your Base Period. The Base Period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. An Alternate Base Period may be used only if you do not qualify for benefits during your regular Base Period.

The amount of benefits you will receive each week will be calculated based on 1/26 of the average total wages paid during the two highest quarters in your Base Period. If you have less than $600 in your total Base Period earnings, then the Alternate Base Period may be calculated.

Here is an example:

Highest quarter of earnings: $4,000

Second highest quarter of earnings: $3,800

Total wages divided by two: $3,900

Average total wages in two high quarters: $3,900

Divided by 26: $150.

Your weekly benefit amount would be $150.

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