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Checked October 14, 2026

Unemployment benefits in Connecticut

What Connecticut pays, for how long, and where to file. Plain numbers from the Department of Labor, with the date we last checked them.

Maximum weekly benefit
$721
With dependents: up to $796 a week (minimum $88); individual maximum shown
Minimum weekly benefit
$44
Maximum weeks
26
Where to file
Connecticut Department of Labor
See the filing link below

Where to file in Connecticut

File with the Connecticut Department of Labor. Do it in your first week out of work: In most states payments count from the week you file, not the week you were laid off, so do not wait.

Can you get benefits after a layoff?

Almost always, if the layoff was for lack of work and you earned enough in your base period (roughly the first four of the last five completed quarters). You stay eligible by being able to work, available for work and actively looking. Claims are most often denied after a quit without good cause or a firing for misconduct, and you can appeal a denial.

Benefits count as taxable income for federal tax, and in most states for state tax too. You can ask the agency to withhold federal tax so there is no surprise next April.

Unemployment rate, August 2026
5.1%
Seasonally adjusted, BLS
New claims, week ending September 26, 2026
2,061
Initial claims, DOL ETA 539
People currently claiming
20,902
Continued weeks claimed, same week

How long will your money last?

Runway calculator, prefilled with the Connecticut maximum benefit.

Why is nobody calling you back?

The job-search checker tells you whether it is your resume, your targeting or your volume.

Questions people ask about Connecticut

How much is unemployment in Connecticut?

Connecticut pays between $44 and $721 a week (with dependents: up to $796 a week (minimum $88); individual maximum shown). Your amount depends on your past wages.

How long does unemployment last in Connecticut?

Up to 26 weeks in a benefit year.

Can I get unemployment in Connecticut after being laid off?

Usually yes. A layoff for lack of work is the clearest case of qualifying. You must have earned enough in your base period, be able to work, and keep looking for work while you claim.

Where do I file for unemployment in Connecticut?

Online with the Connecticut Department of Labor: https://reemployct.dol.ct.gov/accessct/faces/login/login_local.xhtml. File in the first week you are out of work; most states do not pay for weeks before you file.

Where these numbers come from

Benefit figures: U.S. Department of Labor, Significant Provisions of State UI Laws, July 2026 edition, checked October 14, 2026.

Unemployment rate: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, August 2026, seasonally adjusted.

Weekly claims: Department of Labor ETA 539 report, week ending September 26, 2026.

Filing link verified October 14, 2026. Figures can change when a state updates its law; the agency page is always the final word.