Windham Region Chamber of Commerce

COVID-19

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“SKILLUP CT” PROGRAM FOR THE UNEMPLOYED WORKER

This program grants access to 5,000 on-line courses and allows jobseekers to upgrade their skills while remaining in the safety of their own homes. These courses include subjects such as information technology, business analysis, customer service, project management, digital literacy, and more. It also includes training tracks with over 100 industry certifications (in both English and Spanish). To register, please visit https://ewib.metrixlearning.com/ and click on yellow box entitled “SIGN UP FOR METRIX LEARNING”. Metrix Learning Content Coaches are available for assistance through the American Job Centers.

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YOU WERE APPROVED FOR REGULAR UNEMPLOYMENT EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE SELF-EMPLOYED

If you get any state UI you will be ineligible for the federal PUA. Some of you earn most of your wages as a self-employed person or 1099. But you may have collected money as a W2 over the past 18 months an qualify for some regular unemployment. You may have left a job voluntarily that at the time made you ineligible for unemployment but now, during the crisis, you are eligible. So you are getting a small amount of state UI instead of a larger amount of federal PUA. What to do? You must request a hearing to explain your situation and make the case for your situation.
  1. Go to filectui.com
  2. Half way down the page you will see “hearing forms”
  3. Complete statement of late file STATEMENT OF LATE FILE
  4. You need to explain that you believed you were an independent contractor, because you have been working that way. You waited to file for unemployment because you were told by the DOL and other sources that you, as an independent contractor, should wait until April 30 to file for PUA. On April 30 you were told by DOL that you first needed to apply to regular CT unemployment, which you believed you were not eligible for, and you did, only to be surprised that you were eligible. You can then request to have your unemployment benefit (as little as it may be) go retro from when you were forced to stop working, or had a reduction in hours, due to the COVID. If you were unemployed as of March 25, you can request that you also receive the corresponding $600 per week retro to the date you stopped working. They will need to look at every person on a case by case basis.

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SWIMMING & BEACHES IN CT

SWIMMING & BEACHES IN CT
  1. Beaches in CT, NY, NJ will be open officially as of Friday, May 22 with social distancing.
  2. There will be no fees for CT Residents.
  3. Swimming allowed only at shoreline state parks. None at inland state parks.
  4. People must be 15’ apart, blanket to blanket. There has to be a 6’ radius around each blanket and a 3’ walkway between blankets.
  5. You cannot be in a group larger than 5 people, this should be your family that you are sheltering with, not friends or others not living with you.
  6. Social distancing of 6’ when walking around.
  7. Use face masks when near others, do not wear them in the water.
  8. Public bathrooms will be closed but there MAY be portable toilets.
  9. Beaches and parks may be closed if social distancing not followed or they reach capacity.
  10. There will be no lifeguards until later in the season at shoreline beaches.
  11. Closures due to bacterial issues will be found on twitter @CTStateParks or 866-287-2757.
  12. Town beaches status determined independently by the Town, check with them.

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Parks & Campgrounds

STATE CAMPGROUNDS, CABINS, YOUTH SITES, RIVER CAMPING
Will remain closed until at least June 12.
CT STATE INLAND PARKS
  1. There are no fees for CT Residents.
  2. Closed parks: Kent Falls, State Park, Seaside State Park, Hammonasset Beach boardwalk, Silver Sands boardwalk.
  3. All indoor spaces closed, including bathrooms, museums, nature centers.
  4. Do not congregate in observation towers and picnic pavilions.
  5. Social distancing and face masks around people required.
OTHER CT PARKS FOR NON-GROUP GATHERINGS
You can use the parks as individuals and with your family that you are sheltering with as long as you follow social distancing rules and wear masks around other people. Here are the CT parks and recreation areas you can enjoy that are open:
CT STATE PARKS (142 parks)
CT STATE BOAT LAUNCHES (117 launches)