AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT DEPENDENCY ALLOWANCE.

Plain English Breakdown

The definition of 'nonworking spouse' is stated in the bill as being determined by regulation, which is not provided here.

Increasing Unemployment Dependency Allowance

This law increases the extra money paid to unemployed workers who support a nonworking spouse or eligible children.

What This Bill Does

• Increases the dependency allowance payment from fifteen dollars to forty-five dollars for each eligible dependent.
• Requires that dependents live in the same household as the worker receiving unemployment benefits, except for certain handicapped dependents supported by the individual.
• Allows payments for nonworking spouses and children under eighteen years old who are wholly or mainly supported by the worker.
• Allows payments for children up to twenty-one years old if they attend school full-time in a secondary school, technical school, college, or state accredited job training program.
• Includes dependents who were mentally or physically handicapped at the start of the benefit year and are wholly or mainly supported by the worker.
• Limits total dependency allowances so they do not exceed 100% of the individual's weekly unemployment benefit rate.
• Caps the number of dependents that can receive this allowance at five per person.

Who It Names or Affects

• Individuals who are eligible to receive unemployment benefits for a specific week.
• Nonworking spouses living in the same household as the unemployed worker, as defined by regulation.
• Children or stepchildren under eighteen years old supported wholly or mainly by the worker at the start of their benefit year.
• Dependents up to twenty-one years old who attend school full-time and are supported by the worker.

Terms To Know

Dependency allowance

Extra money added to unemployment benefits for workers with a nonworking spouse or eligible children living in their household, unless both spouses receive benefits.

Benefit year

The specific time period used to determine if dependents were supported by the worker at its beginning.

Limits and Unknowns

• This law takes effect on July 1, 2028.
• No dependency allowance can be paid in any week unless regular unemployment benefits are also payable for that same week.
• If both spouses receive unemployment benefits for the same week, neither gets an allowance for the other spouse.
• Only one of two receiving spouses is entitled to a dependency allowance regarding their children or stepchildren.

Official Summary Text

To increase the amount an individual, who is eligible to receive benefits for unemployment, receives in dependency allowance.

Current Bill Text

LCO 2126 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 357
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2126

Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES

Introduced by:
(LAB)

AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT DEPENDENCY
ALLOWANCE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 31 -234 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2028): 2
Each individual who is eligible to receive benefits for unemployment 3
with respect to any week shall be paid with respect to such week a 4
dependency allowance of [fifteen] forty-five dollars for such 5
individual's nonworking spouse, as defined by regulation, living in the 6
same household with such individual and for each of such individual's 7
children or stepchildren who at the beginning of the individual's current 8
benefit year were being wholly or mainly supported by such individual 9
and were under eighteen years of age or under twenty-one years of age 10
and in full-time attendance in a secondary school, a technical school, a 11
college, or state accredited job training program, or who at the 12
beginning of the individual's benefit year were mentally or physically 13
handicapped and because of such handicap were being wholly or 14
Raised Bill No. 357

LCO 2126 2 of 2

mainly supported by such individual, but in no event shall such 15
allowances exceed the number of whole dollars in one hundred per cent 16
of the total unemployment benefit rate of such individual or be paid 17
with respect to more than five dependents. If the individual acquires 18
any additional dependents in the course of a benefit year, the 19
dependency allowance shall be adjusted accordingly during the next 20
following complete calendar week. Dependency allowances shall be in 21
addition to the unemployment benefits otherwise payable and shall not 22
be considered part of an individual's total unemployment benefit rate 23
and no dependency allowance shall be payable with respect to any week 24
unless an unemployment benefit is also payable with respect to such 25
week. If both spouses receive benefits with respect to a week of 26
unemployment, neither shall be entitled to a dependency allowance 27
with respect to the other and only one of them shall be entitled to a 28
dependency allowance with respect to any child or stepchild. 29
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2028 31-234

LAB Joint Favorable
APP Joint Favorable