Up to $1,000 in pandemic pay is available for eligible, private-sector essential workers in Connecticut who were employed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new website for applications up and running. The $30 million Premium Pay Program was launched this week. 

Funding for the initiative was included in the new state budget. Sometimes dubbed "hero pay," the funds will be distributed to critical workers such as grocery store employees and non-government medical staff who were on the job between March 10, 2020 and May 7, 2022 and unable to work from home.