Connecticut Expands Paid Sick Leave Law

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Quick Look

  • Connecticut’s paid sick leave law is expanded to cover virtually all private-sector employees.
  • Amendments to the state paid sick leave law expand the definition of eligible employees, expand covered reasons for taking leave, accelerates accrual rate, and revises employer documentation and recordkeeping obligations.

Discussion

Connecticut’s HB 5005 has significantly expanded the state’s paid sick leave law, by requiring virtually all private employers in the state to provide employees with paid sick leave over a phased in period of three years. Under the existing paid sick leave law, employers that employ 50 or more individuals in Connecticut must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave annually to defined “service workers.” The new expansion will impose expanded paid sick leave requirements based on the following:

 

  • Beginning January 1, 2025, the law will apply to employers with 25 or more employees;
  • Beginning January 1, 2026, the law will apply to employers with 11 or more employees; and
  • Beginning January 1, 2027, the law will apply to employers with at least one employee.

 

In addition to expanding employer coverage under the law, HB 5005 expands employee coverage, providing that all private-sector employees will be eligible to receive paid sick leave, including per diem or temporary workers. This expansion eliminates the prior “service worker” qualification for receiving paid sick leave. However, there is an exception for certain seasonal and unionized construction workers.

 

The law also expands the permissible reasons for taking leave, to now include: (1) closure of the employer’s place of business or a family member’s school or place of care due to a public health emergency; and (2) determination that the employee or the employee’s family member poses a risk to the health of others due to a communicable disease. The definition of “family member” is expanded to include both minor and adult children, spouse (including registered domestic partners), parents (including stepparents and parent-in-laws), grandparents, siblings, and anyone related to the employee by blood or a close association.

 

The new legislation eliminates the current requirement that an employee complete 680 hours of employment to be eligible to use paid sick leave and allows employees to begin using their paid sick leave on the 120th calendar day of employment. It also accelerates the accrual rate allowing eligible employees to accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (instead of the previous 1 hour for every 40 hours worked). Under the amendments, employers will no longer be permitted to request documentation showing that the employee took paid sick leave for a qualifying reason. Covered employers must continue to display required postings regarding paid sick leave and must also provide written notice to employees of their paid sick leave rights no later than January 1, 2025, or at the time of hire, whichever is later.

 

Action Items

  1. Revise paid sick leave policies and procedures for employers currently covered by the PSL law.
  2. Employers previously exempt from the law should review the requirements and begin preparation for the date when they must begin providing paid sick leave to employees.
  3. Have appropriate personnel trained on expanded paid sick leave requirements.

 

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2024 ManagEase