On June 25, 2019, the State of Connecticut passed legislation to create the Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave insurance program with the signing of Connecticut Public Act 19-25 and the Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFMLA), as amended sections 232 through 235 of Public Act 19-117.
The Connecticut paid leave program is administered through the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority. The Authority is made up of a 15-member board of appointed individuals representing a variety of community interests and subject matter expertise.
To view our Connecticut paid leave law webinar series, click here.
Connecticut paid leave law gives employees access to paid leave or sick time for qualifying life events covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA), and the Connecticut Family Violence Leave Act.
Eligible employers will collect a payroll deduction of 0.05% of gross wages through their payroll software from employees and remit those amounts as contributions to the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority Trust Fund.
Individuals who are self-employed or are sole proprietors can begin making contributions to the CT Paid Leave Authority trust fund at this time as well.
A common question coming up is "How is Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave different than Connecticut Paid Sick Leave?" Here are a few quick differences that will be helpful in differentiating between the two laws:
Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave
Connecticut Paid Sick Leave (2012)
Virtually all private-sector employers in Connecticut with one or more employees are considered eligible and need to comply with this sick leave law by providing paid family and medical leave.
However, employers may apply for a PFMLA exemption if they intend to offer the same sick time and leave benefits to all employees through a private plan. To apply for this exemption, employers must have approval by the majority of employees, and the private plan must offer to all employees the same rights, protections, and benefits as the Connecticut Paid Leave (CTPL) program.
Employers must notify their employees at the start of employment and each year thereafter of their right to PFLMA. It’s also suggested employers update their employee handbooks and HR policies in their HR software.
Sick leave eligibility for employees can be broken down into two core categories:
Factors that would exclude someone from qualifying or becoming eligible for Connecticut paid leave can include unionized employees in the federal and state government or municipalities as well as local and regional members of Boards of Education.
The following reasons are considered qualifying events that allow an employee to take paid time off through the PFMLA:
Note: a family member is defined by Connecticut law as a spouse, sibling (in-laws), daughter or son (in-laws), grandparent, grandchild, or parent; or, an individual related to the employee by blood or affinity, and whose close association with the employee shows to be the equivalent of those family relationships. The important item of note is that Connecticut’s affinity portion of the definition makes family members much broader than most other leave legislation.
There has also been an update to the information regarding COVID-19 and Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave Eligibility. COVID-19, by default, is not considered a serious health condition. Essentially, being exposed or diagnosed is not enough.
To qualify for Connecticut Paid Leave benefits as a result of COVID-19, an employee must provide medical proof from a healthcare provider that, as a result of COVID-19 diagnosis or exposure, the employee:
Employees may also receive Connecticut Paid Leave benefits because they need to care for a family member who was exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19. However, the family member's condition must also place them in one of the previous three outlined categories.
Eligible employees that qualify are provided with Connecticut Paid Leave (CTPL) program benefits that include:
This paid leave or PFMLA sick time benefits may be taken as consecutive leave, or in certain circumstances, intermittently. A great time and attendance solution is invaluable when it comes to tracking paid leave benefits.
These rates are not of the utmost importance to the employer because employers are not required to calculate potential wage benefits for employees (like unemployment benefits). Instead, these will be calculated and paid by the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority and the trust fund it established.
Employees are paid a benefit rate that will be based on two scales:
As such, these total calculated rates will increase with the scheduled changes to the state minimum wage law. The PFMLA also stipulates that these benefits pay rates may be reduced if there is insufficient revenue.
Employers can find more information at the Connecticut Paid Leave website, as well as our Connecticut Paid Family Leave Overview. Still, looking for more information on how these updates will affect your business? Set up a consultation to find out how we can help your organization manage the Connecticut Paid Leave updates and help you achieve your business goals.
The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority recently discovered that there was an issue with the employer notification system for employee leave claim status updates. Employers were not being notified of status updates. Until the situation is resolved, employers can contact their employees or email CTPL.benefits@ct.gov with the employee’s name and claim number for status and approval updates.
The Connecticut Department of Labor has authorized a temporary catch-up period until March 31st. During this time, employers may deduct an additional 1% from employee wages (for a total of 1.5%) to make up for contributions that they did not make in 2021. After March 31, 2022, only the statutory 0.5% may be deducted.
Unfortunately, our webinar series on the new Connecticut Paid Leave Law has concluded, but we made sure to record the entire thing for any Connecticut employers that still are not up to speed on the new legislation. You can view our webinar recording on the New Connecticut Paid Leave Law any time you want by clicking here.
Click here to learn more about other Connecticut Labor Laws. If you are struggling with ensuring compliance on your own, you can always seek help from a Connecticut HR Service Provider.