CT PAID LEAVE HELPS PROVIDE BENEFITS FOR THOSE WITH DEVLOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR CAREGIVERS

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Hartford CT — The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority (CTPL) today informed Connecticut workers and caregivers that benefits are available for those living with a developmental disability as a serious health condition. Developmental disabilities are defined as impairments in physical, learning, language or behavior areas and include conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, ADD/ADHD, hearing loss, learning or intellectual disabilities, vision impairment and other developmental delays.

“Connecticut residents living with developmental disabilities want to lead productive lives and achieve their full potential,” said CT Paid Leave CEO Erin Choquette. “Paid leave can be an essential piece of that by providing income replacement, either in a block of time or intermittently, for time away from work due to a serious health condition. Caregivers can avail themselves of the program too, so they can take care of their loved one while also being able to pay the bills.”

According to the National Disability Institute, one in nine adults have a disability. People with disabilities are almost two times more likely to have income less than $35,000 and are almost three times more likely to have extreme difficulty paying bills. Finally, people with disabilities are almost two times more likely to skip medical treatments because of cost.

“Paid leave is an important element of the safety net for people with disabilities and their families,” said Walter Glomb, Executive Director of the Council on Developmental Disabilities. “It is one of the solutions that advance financial stability for families of people with disabilities and can make a huge difference in the quality of their lives.”

To apply for CT Paid Leave benefits online, workers will first need to create an account with CT.gov. This will provide the applicant with a single identity and will take approximately 10 minutes. The applicant can then submit their claim online. Claims may also be filed by phone by calling (877) 499–8606. Hours of operation for a live representative are 8 AM to 8 PM ET, Monday through Friday.

For more information about CT Paid Leave and how to apply, please visit www.ctpaidleave.org.