HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—The state is tackling unemployment with a program that will give newly-employed people a $1,000 bonus after getting a new job.
The program is an effort to incentivize the long-term unemployed to find a new job, Governor Ned Lamont said, since Connecticut's work participation rate is decreasing.
"We were at 70% of the eligible population was working or looking for work just 10, 15 years ago. We were at 65% or so five years ago or before the pandemic. Now, we're at about 60%, so there are fewer people looking for work," he said.
The program will offer the $1,000 bonus to 10,000 individuals, according to state officials, but they will not get the bonus until after eight weeks of employment.
With the new job and the bonus, Lamont said people will have the extra bit of money to help with transportation, child care or other necessary costs.
"We're going to pay you a thousand dollars at the end of two months of work to give you the incentive to get back to work, make sure work is worth your while, make sure that you can afford it," Lamont said.
The program is set to begin on Monday, May 24. People can sign up on the State's Department of Labor website online once they've landed that new job, he said.
To further incentivize people, Lamont is reminding residents that the state minimum wage is going up on August 1. The minimum wage will be increasing to $13 an hour.