Connecticut Separation Notice Requirements
Harkness Tower at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut
A separation notice is exactly what it sounds like—documentation provided to employees when separating from the company. Most separation notices primarily function to inform employees of their rights related to unemployment benefits. Although separation notices may sound relatively straightforward, the requirements vary from state to state.
Though more than half of the states in the U.S. don’t mandate that employers provide departing employees with separation notices, Connecticut is among the states in which employers are legally required to provide a separation notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Connecticut’s separation notice requirements?
To comply with Conn. Agencies Reg., § 31-222-9), employers in Connecticut must provide employees with the following two items upon separation of employment:
Employee Information Packet (UC-62T), which includes details on how to file for unemployment benefits and other available reemployment assistance, and
Connecticut Unemployment Separation Notice form (“pink slip” or UC-61), which employees will use to file an unemployment claim.
Last amended in December 2017, the Connecticut Unemployment Separation Notice form (“pink slip” or UC-61) includes these fields:
Employer’s Connecticut Registration Number
Employer Name
Employer Address
Employee Name
Social Security Number
NCCI Code (only if the employee was employed in a Construction Trade)
Employee’s Start Date
Employee’s Last Day Worked
Employee’s Return-to-Work Date (only if it’s definite)
Employee’s Year-to-Date Earnings
Wages for the Last Week of Work if Less Than a Full Week (Sunday - Saturday)
Reason for Unemployment (lack of work, voluntary leaving, discharge/suspension, leave of absence, or other)
Did or will this employee receive dismissal pay (i.e. 1. Severance, 2. Vacation, 3. Holiday, 4. Other) after the last day of work?
If yes, what type?
Number of hours/days covered
Amount
Dates covered
Employer Signature, Title, and Date
Employer Telephone Number
Employer Fax Number
Is the employer required to send a Connecticut separation notice to every employee upon termination?
Yes. In Connecticut, the separation notice and information packet must be provided to all employees. It doesn’t matter why the employee is separating or whether the employer is subject to the state’s unemployment law.
When should the employer send the Connecticut separation notice to the employee?
Connecticut law mandates the employer provide the separation notice immediately.
If a copy of the separation notice and information packet can’t be delivered to the employee at the time of separation, employers must mail these documents to the employee’s last known address.
If the employee resigns or retires, is the employer still required to send a separation notice to the employee?
Yes. Separation notices must be provided in all situations. As referenced above, the form asks the employer to select one of the following reasons for unemployment:
Lack of work,
Voluntary leaving,
Discharge/suspension,
Leave of absence, or
Other.
We received a Request for Separation Information from the Connecticut Department of Labor. What should we do?
This typically means an employee has filed for unemployment benefits with the Connecticut Department of Labor and has listed you as the employer. You should respond with the requested information within the time frame listed on the administrator’s request.
Failure to respond may result in the following (from Conn. Agencies Reg., § 31-222-9):
(D) If the employer fails to respond to the Administrator with the required information within the time frame and in the manner prescribed by the Administrator, benefits may be paid based upon the information provided by the individual.
(E) If the employer fails to respond to the Administrator with the required information within the time frame and in the manner prescribed by the Administrator and prior to first payment of benefits, the Administrator shall find that the employer has waived its right to a fact-finding and has failed to participate for the purposes of section 31-241 of the Connecticut General Statutes.
(F) If the employer responds to the Administrator within the time frame and in the manner prescribed by the Administrator and advises the Administrator that the separation was for a reason which does not constitute a lack of work layoff, the Administrator shall promptly initiate a fact-finding process pursuant to the provisions of section 31-244-3a of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
What happens if the Connecticut separation notice is not provided or the information on the form is incorrect?
Although the Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) doesn’t specify financial penalties for separation notice violations, it’s in an employer’s best interest to comply with the state’s requirements. Failure to adhere to the law can reflect poorly on the employer’s reputation and may have future legal consequences.
It’s also important to note that Connecticut maintains an Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund (UCF), which is administered by the state’s Department of Labor (DOL). The UCF is funded by employers and is used solely to pay for unemployment benefits. Therefore, as detailed in items D, E, and F in the section above, failure to provide a Separation Notice (Form UC-61) may ultimately mean that an employer is required to pay out unemployment insurance based on inaccurate or incomplete employee-provided information.
Want to automatically generate and send Separation Notices to your employees?
Onwards HR can help! Our Separation Notice product enables employers to dynamically generate state-specific separation notices using data directly from their HCM platform. Better yet, these notices are automatically delivered to the relevant employees. By automating this heavily administrative process, your organization is more compliant, your team has more time, and your employees get the information they need to understand and apply for unemployment insurance.
