LAKEVILLE — The first batch of Premium Pay bonuses, also known as “Hero Pay,” is being disbursed this week to about 20,000 workers who kept Connecticut operational during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the disbursements — for which more than 150,000 applicants qualified — 20,000 payments will be made each week in the order that applications were submitted, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced to a group of elected officials, union representatives and grocery store employees who had gathered Tuesday, Jan. 24 in Middletown.
One-time direct deposit payments, of which there are approximately 120,000, according to Scanlon, began processing Feb. 1. Paper checks, of which there are about 35,000, will be e-mailed in five to six weeks.
Should any problems arise with an applicant’s direct deposit, a paper check will be issued, according to the comptroller’s office.
“During times of difficult uncertainty, Connecticut’s frontline workers stepped up and kept our grocery stores open, our hospitals operational, our communities safe and so much more,” said Scanlon. “By providing some relief, we can show how grateful we are to our heroes.”
The Premium Pay program, which is being overseen by the state comptroller’s office, is providing bonuses up to $1,000 to essential workers who met eligibility criteria established by state law.
The deadline for application was Oct. 1, 2022, and to be eligible, workers must have worked as an essential worker in Connecticut for the entirety of the time period between March 10, 2020, and May 7, 2022.
In addition, applicants had to be in a position where they could not work from home, must have worked in a private sector job categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as 1A or 1B, and earned $149,999 or less.
Classic styles, bold colors, and creative concerts make up the “Imaginary Concerts” line at Peggy Mercury.Provided
Shirts from Peggy Mercury’s first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts,” hang on display.Provided
