§ 31-231a — Total unemployment benefit rate.

Connecticut § 31-231a

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 31: Labor
• Ch. 567: Unemployment Compensation

Text

(a)(1) For a construction worker identified pursuant to regulations adopted in accordance with subsection (c) of this section, the total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing on or after April 1, 1996, shall be an amount equal to one twenty-sixth, rounded to the next lower dollar, of the individual's total wages paid during that quarter of the individual's current benefit year's base period in which wages were the highest but not less than fifteen dollars. (2) The total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing on January 1, 2024, shall be not less than forty dollars, except that when the federal government provides a fully federally-funded supplement to the individual's weekly benefit amount, the total unemployment benefit rate shall be not less than fifteen dollars. (3) Except for the application of the individual's base period wages in the calculation of the total unemployment benefit rate pursuant to section 31-230 or a reduction in the maximum benefit rate pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, the total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing on or after January 1, 2025, shall be not less than the total unemployment benefit rate for the immediately preceding benefit year (A) adjusted by the percentage change in the employment cost index or its successor index, for wages and salaries for all civilian workers, as calculated by the United States Department of Labor, over the twelve-month period ending on June thirtieth of the preceding year, and (B) rounded to the nearest dollar, except that when the federal government provides a fully federally-funded supplement to the individual's weekly benefit amount, the total unemployment benefit rate shall be not less than fifteen dollars. (4) Except for the application of the individual's base period wages in the calculation of the total unemployment benefit rate pursuant to section 31-230 or a reduction in the maximum benefit rate pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, the maximum weekly benefit rate under this subsection shall be not more than the maximum benefit rate as provided in subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section. (b) (1) For an individual not included in subsection (a) of this section, the individual's total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing after September 30, 1967, shall be an amount equal to one twenty-sixth, rounded to the next lower dollar, of the average of the individual's total wages, as defined in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 31-222 , paid during the two quarters of the individual's current benefit year's base period in which such wages were highest but not less than fifteen dollars. (2) The total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing on January 1, 2024, shall be not less than forty dollars, except that when the federal government provides a fully federally-funded supplement to the individual's weekly benefit amount, the total unemployment benefit rate shall be not less than fifteen dollars. (3) The total unemployment benefit rate for the individual's benefit year commencing on or after January 1, 2025, shall be not less than the total unemployment benefit rate for the prior year (A) adjusted by the percentage change in the employment cost index or its successor index, for wages and salaries for all civilian workers, as calculated by the United States Department of Labor, over the twelve-month period ending on June thirtieth of the preceding year, and (B) rounded to the nearest dollar, except that when the federal government provides a fully federally-funded supplement to the individual's weekly benefit amount, the total unemployment benefit rate shall be not less than fifteen dollars. (4) (A) The maximum weekly benefit rate shall not be more than one hundred fifty-six dollars in any benefit year commencing on or after the first Sunday in July, 1982, nor more than (i) sixty per cent rounded to the next lower dollar of the average wage of production and related workers in the state in any benefit year commencing on or after the first Sunday in October, 1983, and (ii) fifty per cent rounded to the next lower dollar of the average wage of all workers in the state in any benefit year commencing on or after the first Sunday in October, 2018. The maximum benefit rate in any benefit year commencing on or after the first Sunday in October, 1988, shall not increase more than eighteen dollars in any benefit year, such increase to be effective as of the first Sunday in October of such year, except that the maximum benefit rate shall not increase in the benefit years commencing on or after the first Sunday in October of 2024 and prior to the first Sunday in October of 2028. (B) The average wage of all workers in the state shall be determined by (i) the administrator, on or before August fifteenth annually, as of the year ended the previous March thirty-first to be effective during the benefit year commencing on or after the first Sunday of the following October, and (ii) the Connecticut Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages or by such other method, as determined by the administrator, that accurately reflects the average wage of all workers in the state. (c) The administrator shall adopt regulations pursuant to the provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall specify the National Council on Compensation Insurance employee classification codes that identify construction workers covered by subsection (a) of this section and specify the manner and format in which employers shall report the identification of such workers to the administrator.

Legislative History

(1967, P.A. 790, S. 9; P.A. 82-448, S. 1, 3; P.A. 83-547, S. 2, 12; P.A. 88-228; P.A. 93-243, S. 4, 15; P.A. 95-323, S. 7, 8; P.A. 18-126, S. 10; P.A. 21-200, S. 4; P.A. 22-67, S. 6.) History: P.A. 82-448 raised maximum dollar amount of benefit from $146 to $156 per benefit year for years commencing on or after the first Sunday in July, 1982, deleting obsolete reference to $70 maximum for benefit year commencing Oct. 5, 1968, and raised yearly cap on rate increases from $6 to $12 for benefit years commencing on or after the first Sunday in October, 1983, revising other obsolete date references as necessary; P.A. 83-547 provided that the total unemployment benefit rate shall be rounded to the next lower, rather than higher, dollar; P.A. 88-228 raised the yearly cap on rate increases from $12 to $18 for benefit years commencing on or after the first Sunday in October, 1988; P.A. 93-243 changed the formula for calculating total unemployment benefit rate from one twenty-sixth of total wages earned during quarter when earnings are highest to one twenty-sixth of average of total wages earned during two quarters when earnings are highest, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-323 inserted new Subsecs. (a) specifying a new total unemployment benefit rate for construction workers, and (c) re adoption of regulations and made technical corrections in prior provisions, now designated as Subsec. (b), effective October 1, 1995, and applicable to any separation of employment occurring on or after that date; P.A. 18-126 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provision re rate in benefit year commencing on or after first Sunday in October, 1983, as Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (2) re rate in benefit year commencing on or after first Sunday in October, 2018, replacing “production and related workers” with “all workers”, designated existing provision re average wage determined by administrator as Subpara. (A) and amended same by replacing “June thirtieth” with “March thirty-first”, and deleting provision re average wage to be determined in accordance with standards for determination of average production wages established by United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and adding Subpara. (B) re Connecticut Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages or other method that accurately reflects average wage of all workers in the state; P.A. 21-200 substantially revised section re total unemployment benefit rates for benefit year commencing on January 1, 2024, and benefit years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, and re prohibition on maximum benefit rate increases in certain benefit years, and made technical changes, effective January 1, 2022; P.A. 22-67 amended Subsec. (a) to exclude the application of a construction worker's base period wages in determining benefits and a reduction in the maximum benefit allowed by law from the requirement that minimum weekly unemployment insurance benefits be adjusted for inflation in Subdiv. (3) and to exclude the application of a construction worker's base period wages in determining benefits or a reduction in the maximum benefit from requirement that the minimum benefit allowed to construction workers be the same as the minimum benefit allowed to non-construction workers in Subdiv. (4), effective May 23, 2022.