Committee advances bill to allow some paraeducators to collect unemployment during summer

The Labor and Public Employees Committee voted to move House Bill 7195 to the floor; the proposal would make paraeducators who do not work during the summer eligible for unemployment benefits.

The S language deleted a proposed rebuttable-presumption provision (which would have shifted burdens to the Department of Labor if districts did not submit required information). Committee members discussed federal conformity: the Department of Labor cautioned that the state change could put Connecticut out of conformity with federal law because federal rules leave the determination of “reasonable assurance” to the unemployment compensation agency. The chair acknowledged that the bill changes state eligibility rules and that it is consistent with approaches taken in other states to provide summer unemployment eligibility for low-wage workers who otherwise lack summer earnings.

Representative Canino said she heard “really interesting stories from paraeducators” but expressed concern about municipal costs and new reporting demands. Representative Weir said the measure would place additional work and costs on school districts and municipal budgets and called the bill an unfunded mandate; he said he would vote no. Representative Wilson, who previously worked as a paraeducator, said the bill would provide a needed option for workers who cannot find summer employment and that many paraeducators work multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Action: The committee moved that House Bill 7195 (LCO 6593) be JFS to the floor; the motion was made and seconded and the clerk later reported that roll-call votes on agenda items would be held open.