If you were financially impacted by COVID-19 between March 10, 2020, and July 20, 2021, you may be eligible to apply for benefits to cover lost wages and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
The Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund, authorized by the legislature, was created to help ease the financial burden for essential workers, including teachers, who lived in Connecticut, contracted COVID-19, became ill and were unable to work, or died, during this time period.
Comptroller Natalie Braswell said that there are many individuals out there, including teachers, who are eligible for funds, but so far her office is not getting as many applications as they had hoped.
“We want to help as many people as we possibly can get these funds,” she said.
The program assists with:
- Lost Wages – Unpaid leave and lost wages if an employee was unable to work after contracting COVID-19, or due to symptoms later diagnosed as COVID-19.
- Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses – For medical services related to contracting COVID-19 that were not covered by insurance.
- Burial Expenses – Burial/funeral expenses of $3,000 for an eligible essential worker who died from COVID-19.
Eligible essential workers can apply for reimbursement of lost wages, out-of-pocket medical expenses, or both. Families can apply for any combination of the three benefits on behalf of a qualified essential worker who died after contracting COVID-19.
The Comptroller’s Office encourages anyone who may be eligible to apply to do so as soon as possible. The program can distribute up to $34 million on a first-come, first-served basis.
