Unemployment Benefits Increase $18 a Week

The maximum Unemployment Insurance benefit will increase by $18 a week according to the state Departent of Labor.

The increase to $573 per week from the current $555, is effective October 2, State Labor Commissioner Glenn Marshall said Monday.

Unemployed workers who have been collecting benefits will not receive an increase. The weekly dependency allowance for each dependent, at $15 with a maximum of $75, remains unchanged.  

For the 12 months ending August 31, regular jobless benefits averaged $301 per week and claimants received an average 19.6 weeks of compensation, not including federal extensions. A year earlier, weekly benefit payments averaged $297 for an average of 18.6 weeks. 
 
Regular state unemployment benefits are funded by a separate assessment paid by 98,300 Connecticut employers. The tax is based on the first $15,000 of each worker's annual wages.