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INSTRUCTIONS TO FILE
PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (PUA)
Currently, those who may file for PUA include individuals who
are not eligible for regular Unemployment Compensation (UC),
Pandemic Extended Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), or Extended
Benefits (EB), who are unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable
or unavailable to work due to one of the COVID-19 related reasons,
and are one (or more) of the following:
- Self-employed
- 1099 and "gig" workers
- Workers in jobs not covered by regular unemployment
benefits. Example: Some employees of religious institutions
may not be covered by regular unemployment benefits
- Peace Corps volunteers
- Other individuals who are attached to the labor force
but are not covered by regular unemployment benefits
- Disqualified for regular UC, PEUC, or EB
**Note that you must file for regular UC first and be found
monetarily ineligible (Benefit rate of $0.00) or have been
disqualified in order to file for PUA**
Instructions for Individuals who have NOT
Filed for Regular Unemployment Benefits
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Access File CT UI
and follow instructions to file claim for unemployment
benefits
- Please wait 3-5 business days for your claim
to be processed.
- Please do not file for PUA until you
receive a Monetary Determination (Forum UC-58)
in the mail indicating you are monetarily
ineligible for regular benefits
- **If the monetary determine indicates
you are eligible for regular benefits,
follow instructions to file regular benefits
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Access the
Connecticut Tax and Benefits System
to create an account to choose your Payment Option
(Direct Deposit or Debit Card.
- Note: If you do not choose a Payment
Option, you will automatically be defaulted to
Debit Card.
- Note: You can complete this step
immediately after filing for regular benefits.
If you do not choose your Payment Option until
after you receive your Monetary Determination
(Forum UC-58), please wait one additional
business day for processing your Payment Option
before filing for PUA.
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Click here for instructions to file
PUA in the ReEmployCT stystem.
Instructions for Individuals who HAVE
Filed for Regular Unemployment Benefits and received a Monetary
Determination indicating you are monetarily ineligible for regular
benefits, or have received a disqualification
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If you haven't chosen your Payment Option (Direct
Deposit or Debit Card), please do so
prior to filing for PUA
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Access the
Connecticut Tax and Benefits System
to create an account to choose your Payment
Option (Direct Deposit or Debit Card.
- Note: If you do not choose a Payment
Option, you will automatically be defaulted
to Debit Card.
- Note: If you haven't yet chosen your
Payment option, after doing so please wait
one additional business day for processing
your Payment Option before filing for PUA.
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Click here for instructions to file
PUA in the ReEmployCT system.
FILING FOR PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
Note: You must have
filed for regular unemployment benefits, and received a Monetary
Determination (Forum UC-58) in the mail indicating you are
monetarily ineligible for regular benefits or have been disqualified
from benefits before proceeding.
Filing for PUA from the ReEmployCT System
**Please read this section thoroughly, and keep it available for
reference when filing your PUA Application **
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program is managed in a
system separate from the regular unemployment system, called
ReEmployCT. The ReEmployCT system is a integrated system where
you will apply for PUA benefits, and file your weekly PUA
certifications to be paid your weekly PUA benefits.
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When accessing the ReEmployCT system the for first time,
click the "Create PUA Account" button and answer the
questions to create your account.
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After submitting your account, you will be navigated
back to the ReEmployCT log-in page.
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Log into your PUA account by entering your User ID and
Password.
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Verify your email address.
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To file your PUA application, click Unemployment
Claim → Pandemic Assistance (PUA) → File PUA Claim.
- For individuals who are not monetarily
eligible for regular unemployment compensation:
Individuals who are not monetarily eligible
for regular benefits initially receive the
minimum PUA weekly benefit rate ($198, prior to
qualified dependency allowance). To qualify for
a higher benefit rate based off of your
earnings, you must enter your 2019 earnings, by
calendar quarter, and upload proof of earnings.
Your entered earnings and proof will be
evaluated by CTDOL and a determination will be
made if your weekly benefit rate can be
recalculated. To be considered, proof of
earnings may be uploaded within 21 days of
submitting your PUA application. But for the
quickest evaluation, we advise that you upload
earnings during the application process.
Please do not mail or fax any tax document
directly to CTDOL. You must upload your
documentation for it to be considered.
If entering your 2019 wages, please note:
- If self-employed, include
the name and address of your
business. If your earnings for
one or more quarters were zero
($0.00) or negative, enter 0.00
in the appropriate quarter(s).
Please use NET
(after deductions)earnings
figures.
- If you work several "gig"
jobs or you aren't formally
self-employed but you work many
odd jobs, you may add all
earnings for the year and enter
the quarterly aggregate (the sum
of your income for each
quarter). Please use NET
(after deductions) figures.
Enter your name and address as
the Name and Address of
Employer.
- If you worked for an
employer who is exempt from
paying unemployment taxes (such
as a religious institution),
enter the employer's name and
address, and enter your
quarterly earnings. Please use
gross (before deductions)
earnings.
- If you work for an employer
who is not exempt from paying
employment taxes, enter the
employer's name and address, and
enter your quarterly earnings.
Please use gross (before
deductions) earnings.
- If you had no employment and
earnings in 2019, you do not
need to enter any wages. So long
as you are otherwise eligible,
your weekly benefit rate will
remain at $198.
Uploading proof of earnings.
Acceptable formats are .PDF, .doc, .docx, .xls,
.xlsx, .tif, .tiff, .jpe, .jpg, .jfif, and
.jpeg. The size of each uploaded document is
limited to 2 MB and may include:
- W-2's
- Schedule C
- Schedule E
- 1099's
- Other tax and wage forms
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Complete and submit the PUA application.
When your PUA eligibilty determination is made, you will be
notified by email that you have correspondence in your ReEmployCT
account. Access your ReEmployCT account to view the correspondence
from the Home Page by clicking
→ Correspondences → Claimant Correspondences → Benefits,
and clicking the Search button.
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Please note, depending on your answers, you may be
contacted by a CT DOL staff member to help determine
your eligibility for PUA. If found ineligible, you may
appeal this decision.
Weekly Certifications
To continue to receive your benefits, you must file weekly
certifications. Starting with the next calendar week after you
submitted your PUA application (as early as Sunday), you will need
to access the ReEmployCT system and submit a Weekly Certification.
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From the your account home page, click Weekly
Certification → File Weekly Certification, and
answer each question. You will be answering the
questions for the previous calendar week.
Benefits Rights and Responsibilities
Before applying for PUA, you must read and understand your
Benefits Rights and Responsibilities. Click the Continue
button below to view your Benefits Rights and Responsibilities, and
then you may proceed to file your PUA application.
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