iStock illustration

Connecticut officials say they are still working to open unemployment benefits to the self-employed and independent contractors like real estate agents weeks after the federal CARES Act allowed it.

As self-employed workers and independent contractors do not pay into the unemployment insurance system, they ordinarily are unable to claim benefits.

With the coronavirus pandemic causing a large downturn in buyer and seller interest across the country, the traditionally-busy spring homebuying season has slowed considerably.

Connecticut’s Department of Labor has begun issuing the first round of $600 weekly federal stimulus payments to filers receiving state unemployment benefits. The initial batch, totaling more than $89 million, was issued last weekend after the state agency successfully programmed its computer system, Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday. That’s in addition to the nearly $51 million issued last weekend in state benefits.

Those who receive payments through direct deposit should expect to begin seeing federal money appear in their bank accounts by Tuesday. A website has been set up to monitor whether deposits were issued.

Connecticut and other states with old computer systems have been delayed in processing the federal payments because the state Department of Labor’s database needed to be modified, which officials said was a labor-intensive process while handling an unprecedented number of state unemployment claims.

Meanwhile, the agency is also still working to implement a 13-week extension for eligible claimants who’ve exhausted 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits.