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Connecticut Unemployment: How to File and What You Get

To get unemployment in Connecticut, file a claim with the Connecticut Department of Labor on its official website or by phone at 1-800-956-3294. The maximum weekly benefit is $721 for up to 26 weeks. After you file, request benefits for each week and meet the state's work search rule.

Official claim websitePhone and hoursIn-person help

Agency: Connecticut Department of Labor · Checked October 30, 2026 against official Connecticut sources

How to file in Connecticut, step by step

  1. Gather your documents. Connecticut asks for the items in the checklist below.
  2. File your claim online at ctdol.state.ct.us or by phone (numbers and hours).
  3. Meet the work search rule. Three work search activities a week, at least one of them an employer contact. Report them when you certify and keep proof for three years. Exemptions exist.
  4. Request benefits for each week you are unemployed, as your claim instructions say. See how weekly claims work.
  5. Answer any reemployment appointment. Some claimants are selected for a RESEA session at a job center.

Documents Connecticut asks for

  • Social Security number; valid address, phone and personal email
  • If you are not a citizen: immigration record and expiration date
  • Every employer in the last 18 months: legal name as on your pay stub or W-2, work address, start and end dates
  • If you claim dependents: spouse's wages and SSN; children's names and dates of birth; school attendance for dependents over 18

Source: portal.ct.gov. Lists can be partial; follow the instructions in your claim.

How much Connecticut pays and for how long

All states
Maximum weekly benefit$721$721–$796 with dependents
Maximum weeks26Same for every claimant

Maximum from the U.S. DOL table effective July 2026. The state calculates your weekly amount from your past wages when you file. How long unemployment lasts

Connecticut unemployment phone

Details

1-800-956-3294

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM–4:30 PM; closed weekends and Connecticut holidays.

Where to log in

The official place to start a claim or reach your account is ctdol.state.ct.us, run by the Connecticut Department of Labor. Only enter your Social Security number or PIN on the official state site. This guide is independent and cannot see or change your claim.

If your claim is denied

Federal law requires every state to offer a fair hearing before an impartial tribunal to anyone whose unemployment claim is denied (Social Security Act, sec. 303(a)(3)). The determination letter from Connecticut tells you the deadline and how to file the appeal. How unemployment appeals work.

Job centers in Connecticut

All 20

Ansonia American Job Center

4 Fourth Street, Ansonia

Hours listedAffiliate

Bridgeport American Job Center

2 Lafayette Square, Bridgeport

Hours: callComprehensive

Bristol American Job Center

440 North Main St., Bristol

Hours listedAffiliate

Danbury American Job Center

181 White Street, White Hall, Room 020, WCSU Midtown Campus, Danbury

Hours: callAffiliate

Danielson American Job Center

562 Westcott Road, Danielson

Hours listedAffiliate

Derby American Job Center

30 Elizabeth Street, Derby

Hours listedAffiliate

East Hartford American Job Center

417 Main St., East Hartford

Hours listedAffiliate

Enfield American Job Center

170 Elm St., Enfield

Hours listedAffiliate

Hartford American Job Center

60 Weston Street, Hartford

Hours listedComprehensive

Hartford Downtown American Job Center Satellite

500 Main St., Hartford Public Library, Hartford

Hours listed

Manchester American Job Center

893 Main St., Manchester

Hours listedAffiliate

Meriden American Job Center

22 Church Street, Meriden

Hours listedAffiliate

Connecticut unemployment questions

How do I file for unemployment in Connecticut?

Online on the Connecticut Department of Labor website or by phone at 1-800-956-3294. Have your Social Security number and your employers from the last 18 months ready.

What is the Connecticut unemployment phone number?

1-800-956-3294. Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM–4:30 PM; closed weekends and Connecticut holidays.

How much is unemployment in Connecticut?

Up to $721 a week ($721–$796 with dependents). Your own amount depends on your past wages.

How long does unemployment last in Connecticut?

Up to 26 weeks. Your weeks are set when the state reviews your claim.

Where do I log in to Connecticut unemployment?

Use the official site (ctdol.state.ct.us) to start a claim or reach your account. We do not handle logins or claims.

What if my Connecticut unemployment claim is denied?

Federal law requires every state to give claimants whose claims are denied the chance of a fair hearing before an impartial tribunal. Your determination letter explains how and by when to appeal.

Related guides

Weekly claimsHow to keep getting paid AppealsIf your claim is denied What to bringDocuments checklist Free trainingWIOA program

Sources

Claim website: dol.gov, checked October 30, 2026.

Claims phone: dol.gov, checked October 30, 2026.

Documents: portal.ct.gov, checked October 30, 2026.

Work search: portal.ct.gov, checked October 30, 2026.

Weekly maximum: portal.ct.gov, checked October 30, 2026.

Maximum weeks: oui.doleta.gov (dated July 2026), checked October 30, 2026.

Right to a fair hearing: 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(3), checked October 31, 2026.