Gov. Ned Lamont has announced that a public-private partnership between the state of Connecticut and private banks, led by Webster Bank and supported by the Connecticut Bankers Association, will enable essential federal workers who are required to report to work without pay to receive unemployment assistance.
The public-private bank partnership will provide interest-free loans to federal workers affected by the shutdown who do not qualify for unemployment insurance.
In addition, Lamont is working with legislative leadership to certify a bill that would ensure Connecticut is able to take advantage of any decision by the federal government to permit essential workers to collect earned unemployment insurance benefits.
The governor also urged nonessential employees, who are not required to report to work, to access state unemployment benefits by contacting the Connecticut Department of Labor or their local American Job Center.
“Federal workers ”“ regardless of their employment classification ”“ are hurting while the federal government is shut down,” Lamont said. “This is particularly true for those employees who must still report to work and incur the cost of commuting and other work-related costs without receiving a paycheck. The action I am announcing today will help federal workers affected by the shutdown understand the benefits to which they are entitled and pay the bills that they and their families are incurring.”
Lamont is also encouraging municipalities to delay collecting property taxes from affected employees.
