Connecticut Work Search Requirements

The unemployment compensation law states that most unemployed workers must make reasonable efforts to find employment each week. While the law does not specify what number of efforts to find work you must make each week, courts have generally said that an unemployed person who makes at least three employer contacts on two different days in a week has made reasonable efforts to obtain work during that week. Repeat contacts are not considered to be reasonable unless there is a definite reason to believe returning to the same employer would increase your chances of being hired.

Keeping a weekly record of your job search activities is important. You may be randomly selected either for a review by the American Job Center of your unemployment eligibility or for a random audit of your unemployment claims by the Labor Department’s Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) program. In both cases, you will be expected to provide a log of your job search activities for the week that is being reviewed, including any out of state efforts to find work. Failure to provide this information could result in a retroactive denial of benefits for that week, and you would be liable to repay the benefits you received. For your convenience, you may use the work search log provided by the Labor Department.

You should look for and apply for jobs that you are qualified to do and use methods that are most likely to bring your skills to the attention of a prospective employer and increase your chances of being hired. Some examples of suitable ways to search for work include:

 Sending out resumes
 Networking
 Internet-based websites
 Newspapers and periodicals
 In-person
 Cold calling