ct unemployment - ct department of labor

ark Davis

Hartford (WTNH) - The Department of Labor is struggling to meet the demands of Connecticut residents who are out of work. And another major employer sending out pink slips today will soon add to the department's workload.

Along with all the other money troubles the state is facing, its funds for the unemployed are rapidly running out. In turn, 18,000 residents are being contacted because their 26 weeks of state unemployment has run out. And they are now eligible to apply for seven more weeks of federal coverage.

At the State Labor Department, claims have more than doubled since the same time last year to over 4,000 per week. The agency brought the number of people at their two call centers up to 60 today and are now answering the phones til 6 pm.

"More people are getting through. There's less busy signals and also, because of the extra hours at the call centers, the average wait time is now about 30 minutes versus last week," Nancy Steffens, of CT Department of Labor, said. "It was about an hour."

While News Channel 8 visited the Labor Department today, the computerized system indicated there were about 50 people waiting at any time. Chances are good it's going to be getting even more busy. The agency says filing online at their website is much, much faster.

"We are at 6.5 percent unemployment," Governor Jodi Rell said. "Our fear would kick in if it were to get much higher than that."

The manager at a Watertown plant, that makes parts for all of the auto companies, told News Channel 8 that he has furloughed all of his 250 employees from now through January because there are no orders from the auto companies to fill.

New unemployment numbers for the state come out on Thursday. The Governor says if they're any higher, the state will need help paying benefits.

"We have already asked the federal government, as part of any stimulus package, to also make sure that those states that are reaching a higher number in unemployment be allowed some leeway there and possibly some funds to help cover our balance," Governor Rell said.

Because the state knows that the Unemployment Trust Fund is running out of money, the Commissioner of the Department of Lab has ordered that the unemployment tax, paid by your employer, will nearly double starting next month from the current .9 percent to 1.4 percent.