Update: April 14 8:00 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Lamont this evening signed Executive Order 7Z

The Order waives certain requirements regarding state contracts for essential goods and services, suspends certain in-person requirements related to assessment appeals and allows DESPP to waive some licensing requirements for security officers to work in the state.

To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:

Executive Order 7Z enacts the following provisions:

• Modification of state contracting statutes to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential goods: Temporarily waives certain requirements related to state contracts in order to expedite the procurement of essential goods and services, including personal protective equipment (PPE), that are needed urgently to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In-person attendance requirement suspended for assessment appeals: Allows property owners or their attorney or agent to appear before a board of assessment appeals using remote technology instead of in person.
• Suspension of requirements for security officer license: Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to waive licensing requirements to temporarily allow security services or businesses to employ security officers who are not licensed in Connecticut but are licensed in another state, to address a shortage of available security officers. This applies only to unarmed security officers

The governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-14

The Executive Order can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7Z.pdf

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Updated DOL Information Regarding Unemployment Benefits

The Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) publishes and provides updates on their website in response to the coronavirus pandemic. They are currently working to process an unprecedented number of claims. Unfortunately, the large number of new claims is taxing the system and delays are being reported.

To date, the agency has received more than 343,000 claims, and has released an average of $44 million per week in benefits for each of the last two weeks. The backlog to process claims remains around 5-6 weeks, however the benefits will be made retroactive to when the application was filed. To help speed up the process, DOL recommends filers select “Temporary Shutdown” as the reason for separation. This is the only fully-automated process for filing for UIC.

Please note, while the federal CARES Act provides UIC benefits to self-employed and independent contractors, CTDOL is not yet set up to receive applications for these persons.

The Department of Labor (DOL) updates their website FAQs/Q&As daily, and has recently updated published guidance to clarify that self-employed, independent contractors, and business owners that don’t pay taxes on their salaries may be eligible for UIC benefits under the new federal law. The FAQ also adds information pursuant the Governor’s Executive Order 7W about suspending the Experience Rating for employers that have to do layoffs due to COVID-19.

More information can be found here: http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/ and https://sso.ctdol.state.ct.us/English/CommonLogin/CommonLogin.aspx

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DRS Extends Filing, Payment Deadlines for Certain State Tax Returns to Align with Federal Changes

(Hartford, CT) – To provide relief to Connecticut taxpayers during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) is extending the filing and payment deadlines of certain returns until July 15, 2020. These extensions align Connecticut tax filing and payment dates with filing and payment extensions recently announced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

“In general, Connecticut tax filings are based on submission of the corresponding federal return,” said Acting Revenue Services Commissioner John Biello. “The filing and payment extensions announced by DRS today keep Connecticut in line with recent federal updates and, in these difficult circumstances, offer taxpayers and tax professionals clarity and more time to prepare their returns.”

The impacted Connecticut returns and the associated filing dates and payment deadlines now due on or before July 15, 2020, are set forth below:

Please visit the DRS website, which includes a page with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that is updated regularly. Taxpayers who need to contact DRS may e-mail us at DRS@po.state.ct.us or call 860-297-5962 (from anywhere); 800-382-9463 (within CT, outside Greater Hartford area only); or 860-297-4911 (Hearing Impaired, TDD/TT users only).

DRS Website: https://portal.ct.gov/drs

DRS Frequently Asked Questions: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/COVID19/DRS-COVID-19-Response-FAQ

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Press-Room/Press-Releases/2020/DRS-Extends-Filing-Payment-Deadlines-for-Certain-State-Tax-Returns

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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Tuesday, April 14th – the state has diagnosed a total of 13989 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 671.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 13989

Fairfield County: 6213

Hartford County: 2370

Litchfield County: 460

Middlesex County: 355

New Haven County: 3543

New London County: 227

Tolland County: 201

Windham County: 87

Pending address validation: 533