Connecticut's Department of Labor is warning there may be delays in processing new unemployment claims.
Commissioner Scott Jackson says January is the agency's busiest month for new claims because of cold weather shutdowns, school vacations and other seasonable factors that typically begin the final week of December and continue through the third week of January.
The number of new claims is nearly 300 percent higher than usual, so Jackson says it may take the agency an additional five-to-10 days before a benefit can be issued by direct deposit or debit card.
Those individuals who have already established a claim and are filing weekly are not expected to experience any delays.
New and weekly claims can be filed using an online system at www.FileCTUI.com.