Attorney
With Governor Lamont’s signature today, May 28, 2024, and expanded paid sick leave law is in effect in Connecticut.
As of January 1, 2025, Connecticut employers with 25 or more employees will be required to provide paid sick leave to virtually all their workers. As of January 1, 2026, the threshold lowers to 11 employees; as of January 1, 2027, to 1 employee. The employee count is as of January 1 of each year.
Previously, the paid leave obligation only applied to employers of 50 or more service or retail workers. The only excepted workers under the amended law are seasonal workers (working 120 days or less in a year) and construction trade workers covered by a multi-employer benefit fund.
The sick pay must accrue at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked up to a maximum of 40 hours per year; and must be available for employees to use as of the 120th calendar day of employment. Employees must be permitted to carry over up to 40 hours from one year to the next or be given immediate access to 40 hours at the beginning of the year. The year is any 365-day period the employer uses for benefit purposes.
The reasons for paid sick leave use are: (1) the employee’s own illness, injury, or health condition, its diagnosis or treatment, preventative care, or mental health wellness, (2) the employee’s family member’s illness, injury, or health condition, its diagnosis or treatment, or preventative care, (3) public health closure of the employer’s place of business, or the employee’s family member’s school or place of care, (4) a determination that the employee is a risk due to exposure to a communicable disease, and (5) attention to family violence or sexual assault experienced by the employee or a family member, including treatment, participation in legal proceedings, relocating, accessing victims’ services organizations. The employer may not require documentation of qualifying use from the employee.
Family members include spouses, parents, children, siblings, and persons in similarly close relationships with the employee.
Postings and individual notices of rights under the statute must be made by covered employers and records of accrual and use must be maintained.
An employer with policies that provide at least as much paid time off available for the covered reasons is in compliance.