Government Issues and Politics
Insurance and Employee Benefits
Business and Economic Information
Human Resources and Safety
Education Policy and Practice
Training and Consulting Services
Human Resources and Safety
HR Issues and Laws Safety and Health Tools and Forms Comp and Benefits Publications and Posters Training and Programs

Change in UC rules

Individuals limited to part-time employment because of a physical or mental impairment may now be eligible to receive unemployment compensation benefits.

     Until now, Connecticut’s unemployment law has required that claimants be available and looking for full-time work. Public Act 06-171, which took effect on Oct. 1, 2006 exempts from the full-time requirement unemployed workers who have a physical or mental impairment that is chronic or expected to be long-term or permanent in nature.

     The state Department of Labor says that individuals applying under these new guidelines must provide documentation from a physician certifying that they are unable to work full-time. The medical documentation must show that the part-time limitation is due to a physical or mental impairment that is chronic, expected to be long-term, or permanent in nature.

     Individuals who apply for benefits under the legislation must also demonstrate that their part-time limitation does not remove them from the workforce. They must be available for suitable work within their specific medical restrictions and they are required to make reasonable efforts to find work.