AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT FOR STRIKING WORKERS.

Senate
SB440 / File No. 367 1

General Assembly File No. 367
February Session, 2026 Senate Bill No. 440

Senate, April 2, 2026

The Committee on Labor and Public Employees reported
through SEN. KUSHNER of the 24th Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

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

Section 1. Subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 31 -236 of the 1
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(3) During any week in which the administrator finds that the 4
individual's total or partial unemployment is due to the existence of a 5
labor dispute other than a lockout at the factory, establishment or other 6
premises at which the individual is or has been employed, [provided] 7
except that the provisions of this subsection do not apply if it is shown 8
to the satisfaction of the administrator that: (A) For a labor dispute that 9
begins on or after December 14, 2027, such labor dispute has been 10
continuous for fourteen days since the commencement of such labor 11
dispute; (B) (i) the individual is not participating in or financing or 12
directly interested in the labor dispute that caused the unemployment, 13
and [(B)] (ii) the individual does not belong to a trade, class or 14
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SB440 / File No. 367 2

organization of workers, members of which, immediately before the 15
commencement of the labor dispute, were employed at the premises at 16
which the labor dispute occurred, and are participating in or financing 17
or directly interested in the dispute; or (C) the individual's 18
unemployment is due to the existence of a lockout. A lockout exists 19
whether or not such action is to obtain for the employer more 20
advantageous terms when an employer (i) fails to provide employment 21
to its employees with whom the employer is engaged in a labor dispute, 22
either by physically closing its plant or informing its employees that 23
there will be no work until the labor dispute has terminated, or (ii) 24
makes an announcement that work will be available after the expiration 25
of the existing contract only under terms and conditions that are less 26
favorable to the employees than those current immediately prior to such 27
announcement; provided in either event the recognized or certified 28
bargaining agent shall have advised the employer that the employees 29
with whom the employer is engaged in the labor dispute are ready, able 30
and willing to continue working pending the negotiation of a new 31
contract under the terms and conditions current immediately prior to 32
such announcement; 33
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 31-236(a)(3)

LAB Joint Favorable

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SB440 / File No. 367 3

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Labor Dept. UITF - Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Labor Dept. UITF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Labor Dept. GF - Cost 205,000 210,000
Note: UITF=Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund; GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill, which makes striking workers eligible for unemployment
benefits after they have been on strike for 14 consecutive days, results in
a potential cost and potential revenue gain to the Unemployment
Insurance Trust Fund, starting in FY 27. In addition, the bill results in a
one-time cost of $415,000 to the General Fund ($205,000 in FY 27 and
$210,000 in FY 28).
To the extent any striking workers become eligible for
unemployment benefits as a result of the bill, this would result in a cost
to the trust fund. Subsequent increases in experience ratings by
employers would result in increased tax revenue to the trust fund on a
lagged basis. The amounts are dependent on striking workers' benefits
and affected employers' experience ratings.
Additionally, the bill would require the Labor Department to make
technology changes to ReEmployCT, the unemployment insurance
administration system, which results in a cost of $205,000 in FY 27 and
$210,000 in FY 28 ($415,000 in total).
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The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above for the trust
fund would continue into the future subject to the number of workers
and employers affected. There are no fiscal impacts to the General Fund
beyond FY 28.

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OLR Bill Analysis
SB 440

AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT FOR STRIKING
WORKERS.

SUMMARY
Current law generally disqualifies unemployment benefit claimants
during any week in which their unemployment resulted from a labor
dispute. For labor disputes that start on or after December 14, 2027, this
bill lifts this disqualification once the dispute has lasted for 14
continuous days.
Existing law similarly allows claimants to qualify for benefits during
a labor dispute, with no waiting period, if the (1) unemployment is
caused by a lockout (for example, the employer closed the employment
premises) or (2) claimant is not participating in the dispute and does not
belong to a trade, class, or organization of workers participating in,
financing, or directly interested in the dispute (for example, non -union
employees at a business temporarily closed by a strike).
By law, unchanged by the bill, to be eligible for unemployment
benefits a claimant generally must (1) file and claim and register as
required by the Department of Labor; (2) be able to work, available for
work, and making reasonable efforts to obtain work ; and (3) have
earned a certain amount of wages prior to their unemployment (CGS §
31-235).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Labor and Public Employees Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 9 Nay 4 (03/19/2026)