The Connecticut Dependency Allowance provides supplemental income to individuals receiving unemployment benefits who also financially support dependents.
Understanding the Connecticut Dependency Allowance
The dependency allowance is an additional payment for individuals approved for and collecting unemployment insurance in Connecticut. Administered by the Connecticut Department of Labor, this allowance is not automatically included in unemployment compensation and must be applied for. The allowance is added to the claimant’s weekly benefit payment but does not count toward the calculation of their total unemployment benefit rate for the benefit year.
Defining a Qualifying Dependent
A qualifying dependent can be a non-working spouse living in the same household or a child or stepchild. The claimant must have provided more than half of the dependent’s total financial support at the start of their benefit year. Children must be under 18 years of age, or under 21 if they are a full-time student at a secondary school, technical school, college, or state-accredited job training program.
The definition also includes children of any age who are mentally or physically handicapped and incapable of self-support. If both spouses receive unemployment benefits for the same week, only one can claim a dependency allowance for a child, and neither can claim the other as a dependent. These definitions are outlined in Connecticut General Statutes § 31-234.1Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 31-234 (2024) – Dependency Allowances
Claimant Eligibility for the Allowance
An individual must first be deemed eligible for and be receiving weekly state unemployment benefits to qualify for the dependency allowance. The allowance is a supplement to these primary benefits. No dependency allowance is payable for any week unless a regular unemployment benefit is also paid for that week. Eligibility for the allowance is assessed separately from the general unemployment claim.
How the Allowance Amount is Determined
The dependency allowance in Connecticut is a fixed amount of $15 per week for each qualifying dependent. A claimant can claim a maximum of five dependents, which caps the total possible weekly allowance at $75.
The total weekly dependency allowance cannot exceed 100% of the claimant’s weekly unemployment benefit rate. For example, if a claimant’s weekly benefit rate is $50, they could receive a maximum of $50 in dependency allowances, even if they have four qualifying dependents, which would otherwise total $60.
Required Information and Documentation for Dependents
To claim a dependent, you must provide specific personal information for each individual. The Department of Labor may require you to submit documents to verify this information and prove dependency. Necessary paperwork often includes:
- Birth certificates for children
- A marriage certificate for a spouse
- Court orders for adoptions or legal guardianship
- Proof of full-time enrollment for student dependents over 18
- Medical documentation for a dependent with a disability
Claimants declare dependents as part of their initial application for unemployment benefits, which is completed online through the CT DOL WebBenefits portal, known as ReEmployCT.
Claiming the Dependency Allowance
The formal claim is made during the initial online application for unemployment benefits on the ReEmployCT portal. There will be a specific section where you can enter the details for each dependent you are claiming, including their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and relationship to you.
Once the application is submitted, the Department of Labor will review the information. If the claim is approved, the dependency allowance will be added to your weekly benefit payment. The allowance will be itemized on your payment statements, showing both your standard benefit amount and the additional payment for dependents.