Every year in April, the United States commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, an annual observance of the accomplishments made, and the work that remains, so victims can fully exercise their constitutional and statutory rights. This year’s theme, Connecting < KINSHIP > Healing, is a call-to-action to recognize the shared humanity that should be at the center of support for crime victims and survivors.
A recent change in law (Public Act 24-5) in Connecticut recognizes the humanity involved in connecting victims with assistance for crime-related financial impacts. Previously, victims needed to choose between two state agencies for assistance. Now, thanks to a recent change in law, victims can receive assistance from both programs, with the intention of lessening crime’s financial toll.
There were 30,354 reported violent crimes in Connecticut in 2023. Every crime uniquely affected a victim. Experiencing a violent crime can be highly traumatic, with physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial impacts rippling for years after the incident. If victims must miss work and lose wages because of crime, financial insecurity can make the trauma even more acute, placing recovery further out of reach.
The Victim Compensation Program, which is directed by the Judicial Branch Office of Victim Services (JB-OVS), provides financial assistance for out-of-pocket expenses for victims of crime based on application eligibility. Benefits include help with medical, dental, and mental health bills, lost wages, and expenses associated with crime scene cleanup, security systems and funerals. Maximum benefits are based on the type of crime.
CT Paid Leave provides up to 12 weeks of wage replacement benefits to workers who need time away from work to recover from their own serious health condition or other family or health needs, like welcoming a new child or caring for a seriously ill family member. Twelve days of CT Paid Leave benefits are available to workers dealing with specific situations arising from family violence or sexual assault as outlined in the CT Family Violence Leave Act. Additionally, a longer duration of income replacement benefits is available for crime victims who experience a resulting serious health condition and need ongoing physical or mental health care treatment and recovery.
The new law, which took effect last October, clears the way for JB-OVS and CT Paid Leave to work collaboratively to mitigate crime victims’ wage losses. JB-OVS now can pay for wage loss concurrently with CT Paid Leave, so long as the victim qualifies for paid leave and the total benefit does not exceed the victim’s regular pay rate or provide duplicative assistance. It enables victims to access a wider array of benefits, combine complementary benefits, and receive longer wage replacement assistance.
Let’s examine a few situations in which CT Paid Leave and the Victim Compensation Program would work together. One scenario would be where a victim receives wage replacement benefits from CT Paid Leave and assistance with out-of-pocket medical expenses from the Victim Compensation Program. This combination of benefits provides victims with time for their injuries to heal while receiving prescribed medical treatment.
Under a second scenario, because of the severity of the crime-related injury a victim may need to supplement CT Paid Leave’s maximum 12 weeks of leave with additional weeks of coverage from the Victim Compensation Program. Imagine a victim with a physically demanding job who experienced a severe physical assault that requires a longer recovery time before a safe return to work is feasible.
Under a third scenario, a victim’s net income exceeds the maximum allowable benefit under CT Paid Leave policy. The victim could receive additional wage loss benefits from the Victim Compensation Program, up to their average net income, and fill the gap in wage loss. This could help stabilize the victim’s personal or family income while life-changing physical injuries are dealt with.
The new law has other benefits to help victims. It extends provisions already in place for family violence victims to sexual assault survivors. Like family violence victims, an employee who is a sexual assault victim may take leave to seek medical care or counseling, relocate, to seek services from a victim services organization, or participate in civil or criminal proceedings related to or resulting from the assault.
The change in law launches greater collaboration between two state entities committed to helping restore a sense of agency among crime victims. The shared goal is to empower victims to access a wider array of allowable benefits that are more responsive to the amount of financial assistance needed, the severity of the crime, and the types of financial losses experienced.
For further information, please contact JB-OVS Victim Compensation Program staff via phone at (888) 286-7347, email at OVSCompensation@jud.ct.gov, or by visiting its website at https://www.jud.ct.gov/crimevictim/compensation.htm.
Erin Choquette is CEO of CT Paid Leave. Marc Pelka is Deputy Director of the CT Office of Victim Services.