Page 3 - Premium Pay Program News Today

Saturday was the deadline to apply for the Connecticut “Hero Pay” program. Here's what comes next.

With just over one week left to apply for the Connecticut’s coronavirus pandemic bonus program for essential, private-sector workers, demand has far outstripped the resources Governor Ned Lamont and legislators reserved for the program.

Under heavy pressure from the Connecticut AFL-CIO, unions and other labor advocates, Lamont and his fellow Democrats in the legislature’s majority created a bonus system for private-sector workers who staffed vital services during the pandemic.

With just over one week left to apply for the state’s coronavirus pandemic bonus program for essential, private-sector workers, demand has far outstripped the resources Gov. Ned Lamont and legislators reserved for the program. Through midday Thursday, more than 313,000 individuals had requested applications through the online Premium Pay Portal, and more than 154,000 of those have completed their applications, Comptroller Natalie Braswell reported Friday.

(Office of the Governor) — In 2021, the U.S. Treasury announced additional Covid-19 relief assistance in the form of the American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery

Interest in the new $1,000 pandemic bonuses that Connecticut officials dangled before essential workers is more than eight times the program’s maximum capacity.

Comptroller Natalie Braswell’s office reported Wednesday that more than 255,000 people...

Interest in the new $1,000 pandemic bonuses that state officials dangled before essential, private-sector workers this spring is more than eight times the program’s maximum capacity to issue full grants. Demand for the benefits has not gone unnoticed by lawmakers. The House chairwoman of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee added her name to the list of officials saying Connecticut must increase funding for the program — or watch the $1,000 bonuses get sliced to a few hundred dollars...

Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly budgeted $30 million for a program which offered $1,000 grants to full -time workers and $500 for part-timers. By simple math, the $30 million program cannot deliver more than 30,000 grants of $1,000 each.

Interest in the new $1,000 pandemic bonuses that state officials dangled before essential, private-sector workers this spring is more than eight times the program’s maximum capacity to issue full gra...