If you are a resident of Connecticut searching for work or facing unemployment, you do not need us to tell you how hard things have been for Connecticut workers in the last years. As of March 2011, 9.2 percent of all Connecticut workers were unemployed. This amounts to 171,900 unemployed workers out of a pool of 1,898,000. Although the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are encouraging, important industries in Connecticut such as Construction and Financial Activities have shown modest growth rates, this is still an harsh environment for people searching for work.

The State of Connecticut affords insured unemployed workers who meet the Connecticut Unemployment Insurance eligibility criteria with temporary cash assistance while they search for work. If you are a resident of Connecticut, or worked in Connecticut during your base period (more on that later) you should research the Connecticut Employment regulations before your apply for unemployment insurance benefits. This article will provide detailed information on what requirements you must satisfy before your claim is approved and also instruction on how to calculate your own Connecticut UI weekly benefit amount.

During periods of high unemployment the federal government will often create emergency programs to aid unemployed workers who have not found work after exhausting the basic state unemployment insurance, which in most states (including Connecticut) amounts to 26 weeks. The current Emergency Unemployment Compensation program was created in 2008 as a reaction to the recession, which caused many businesses to lay-off large number of employees. Although this program is available to all states, not all states receive the same level of benefits. This article will look into the requirements to receive EUC benefits and the program details particular to the program in Connecticut.

Simply receiving a cash handout is not a solution for unemployed workers. The vast majority of unemployed workers would prefer to find a job than to rely on a charity program that is funded entirely by employers. That is why the State of Connecticut offers unemployed workers with a variety of programs to help them improve their chances of finding a new job. These programs range from apprenticeship programs for young workers, subsidies for Community and private colleges to community based organizations. This article provides a brief review of these programs and offers direct links to the programs’ websites.

Websites and Automated Telephone systems are all very good until you have a question you do not know the answer to. Our team of researchers is happy to research any question you might have on Connecticut’s unemployment programs and services. However, sometimes you need answers quickly and despite the benefits of online and telephone systems nothing quite beats speaking face-to-face with a knowledgeable employment officer.