Connecticut has offered its workers paid family leave—essential time to take care of themselves and their families—since 2022. As of 2026, Connecticut is one of 14 states (along with the District of Columbia) that have passed their own paid leave program.
Whether you run a business from the Constitution State or have remote employees there, you’ll want to get up to speed on how paid leave works. Below, we explain who’s eligible for Connecticut paid leave, how it intersects with federal leave, and what employers need to do to stay compliant.
What is Connecticut’s paid family leave program?
Connecticut’s paid leave program, called CT Paid Leave, gives eligible employees time away from work to focus on themselves and their families—without worrying about the financial consequences. With CT Paid Leave, employees get up to 12 weeks a year for one of the following six qualifying reasons:
Bonding with a new child, including adopted and fostered children
Receiving treatment for or recovering from a serious personal health condition
Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
Caring for a military family member who was injured during active duty
Seeking safety from family violence or assault
Preparing for a family member's military deployment
People with pregnancy complications can qualify for an additional two weeks, for a total of 14 weeks on leave.
Do all employers have to participate?
Most employers in Connecticut with at least one employee are considered covered employers under the program, meaning they have to participate. There are a handful of employers who aren’t considered covered employers under the program, like:
The federal government
Municipalities (unless their unionized employees collectively bargain to participate)
Public school operators (unless employees collectively bargain to participate)
Railroads
Governments of other states or countries
Sovereign nations, including tribes
How is CT Paid Leave funded?
CT Paid Leave is funded entirely by employee contributions. The contribution rate for 2026 is 0.5%; employees are required to contribute 0.5% of their earnings on wages up to the Social Security Contribution Limit ($184,500 in 2026).
As an employer, you don’t pay anything for leave—you’ll just withhold 0.5% from your employees’ pay, then submit it to the CT Paid Leave Authority.
How much do employees receive in benefits?
Most Connecticut employees receive around 95% of their average weekly wage while on leave, but the exact amount depends on how much an employee earns relative to the state’s minimum wage ($16.94 in 2026). Here’s how it shakes out:
If an employee’s wages are less than or equal to the Connecticut minimum wage multiplied by 40, the weekly benefit rate under CT Paid Leave will be 95% of the employee’s average weekly wage.
If an employee’s wages exceed the Connecticut minimum wage multiplied by 40, their weekly benefit rate will be 95% of the Connecticut minimum wage multiplied by 40, plus 60% of the amount by which the employee’s average weekly wage exceeds the Connecticut minimum wage multiplied by 40. But the benefit rate is capped at 60 times the Connecticut minimum wage.
Who’s eligible for CT Paid Leave?
To qualify for CT Paid Leave, Connecticut workers have to meet all of the following requirements:
Meet one of the six qualifying reasons
Currently work for or have been hired in the last 12 weeks by a covered employer
Have earned at least $2,325 from a covered employer in the highest-earning quarter of the first four of the five most recently completed quarters
The good news is that most workers, including part-time, per diem, and seasonal workers, can qualify for CT Paid Leave as long as they meet the earnings threshold.
Can sole proprietors take CT Paid Leave?
Self-employed people, like independent contractors and S-corporation owners, can opt into the CT Paid Leave program. If they choose to opt in, they have to stay in the program for at least three years and make regular contributions before opting out.
How does CT Paid Leave work with FMLA?
It’s important to note that Connecticut’s paid leave program isn’t the same thing as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), nor is it equivalent to the CT Family and Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA).
FMLA is a federal law that requires all employers in the United States with at least 50 employees to offer them 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for bonding, caregiving, medical recovery, and military exigency.
CT FMLA is a Connecticut state law that guarantees eligible Connecticut workers up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to bond with a new child; deal with a personal health condition; take care of a sick or injured family member; take safe leave; or help with a family member’s military deployment.
In Connecticut, some of your employees might be eligible for all three types of leave: CT Paid Leave, FMLA leave, and CT FMLA leave. The programs run concurrently, and your employees receive whichever protections are strongest.
Let’s say, for example, that one of your employees needs to take parental leave. Because they’ve only worked for you for a few months, they qualify for CT Paid Leave and CT FMLA, but not federal FMLA.
They’ll be able to take up to 12 weeks of leave (courtesy of both programs), receive weekly benefit payments of 95% of their average weekly wages (courtesy of CT Paid Leave), and rest assured knowing their job is secure when they return (courtesy of CT FMLA).
However, because they didn’t qualify for federal FMLA, you’re not required to continue paying their health insurance while they’re on leave.
What’s the difference between CT Paid Leave, FMLA, and CT FMLA?
CT Paid Leave | FMLA | CT FMLA | |
Qualifying reasons | Bonding with a new child; managing a personal health condition; caring for a seriously ill family member or a family member injured during active duty; seeking safe leave; supporting a military family member on deployment | Bonding with a new child; personal health conditions; caring for a family member who has a serious health condition; military exigency leave | Bonding with a new child; managing a personal health condition; caring for a seriously ill family member or a family member injured during active duty; seeking safe leave; supporting a military family member on deployment |
Eligibility requirements | Meet one qualifying reason: currently work for or have been hired in the last 12 weeks by a covered employer; have earned at least $2,325 from a covered employer in the highest-earning quarter of the first four of the five most recently completed quarters | Meet one qualifying reason: have worked for the employer for at least one year; have over 1,250 hours of service in the past year; the employer has at least 50 employees who work within a 75-mile radius | Meet one qualifying reason: have worked for the employer for at least three months before taking leave (no requirement on hours) |
Job protection | No | Yes | Yes |
Length of leave | Up to 12 weeks within a year | Up to 12 weeks within a year | Up to 12 weeks within a year |
Payment | Weekly benefit payments dependent on wages | Unpaid | Unpaid |
Health benefits | No, employers aren’t required to continue providing health benefits to employees on CT Paid Leave | Yes, employers are required to continue providing health benefits to employees on FMLA leave | No, employers aren’t required to continue providing health benefits to employees on CT FMLA |
What is Connecticut’s paid sick leave policy?
Connecticut also has what’s called CT Paid Sick Leave, which employees can use to take care of themselves or their family members. Employees accrue one hour of sick leave (paid at their regular rate of pay) for every 30 hours they work, up to 40 hours of paid sick leave each year.
As of 2026, all employers with at least 11 employees are required to provide paid sick leave. And starting January 1, 2027, all employers in Connecticut with even one employee are required to provide sick leave.
What should my business do to comply with CT Paid Leave?
If you employ at least one person in Connecticut, you’re required to participate in the CT Paid Leave program. Keep in mind that if you don’t give your employees the leave they’re entitled to, you could face civil penalties from the state, up to $500 per violation, and potential lawsuits from your employees.
So make sure you stay compliant by taking care of the following:
1. Register with CT Paid Leave and remit employee contributions
If you haven’t yet, you need to register with the CT Paid Leave Authority. Even if you want to apply for private paid leave insurance, you still need to register with the state first.
You’re also responsible for withholding 0.5% of your employees’ wages (make sure you check the current year’s rate, since it changes) and sending them in on a quarterly basis via the online employer portal. The due dates are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
2. Tell your employees about CT Paid Leave
You’re legally required to give your employees the Notice of Employee Rights when they’re hired, then once a year every year afterward. The notice lists the program’s qualifying reasons for leave, outlines the employee’s rights, and explains that CT FMLA offers job protection.
It’s crucial to post the notice in a visible, accessible place in your workplace—in the primary languages your employees speak.
3. Fill out the Employment Verification Form
When your employees apply for CT Paid Leave, they’ll receive a form from the CT Paid Leave Authority to give to you. This is the Employment Verification Form. It's your responsibility to review the form, fill out the employer portion, and return it by the employee’s claim deadline (which should be indicated on the form).
4. Follow all other state and federal leave requirements
Depending on which types of leave your employee files a claim for, you may have to take other measures to comply with state and federal laws. For example, if your employees qualify for FMLA leave alongside CT Paid Leave, you need to keep paying their health insurance premiums during leave and reinstate their jobs when they’re back.
You also need to post a workplace notice for FMLA leave, which you can download here, and prepare to give employees a Rights and Responsibilities Notice and Designation Notice if they end up requesting FMLA leave.
5. Hold onto your paperwork
Make sure you keep all your payroll and personnel records for at least three years. That includes payroll records, paystubs, official employee requests for leave, copies of Employment Verification Forms, copies of official FMLA notices, and documentation of leave start and end dates.
What will paid leave cost me?
Paid leave is covered by employee contributions in Connecticut, so you don’t have to pay a cent for your employees’ leave.
The only exception is if you want to offer pay or time off beyond what the state provides, to compete more easily with your peers or give your employees more direct support. Maybe you want to update your company’s leave policy to give everyone 16 weeks of family and medical leave at 100% pay, for example, instead of 12 weeks at 95% pay.
Giving your employees additional time and benefits will always be a net positive for your business. Generous leave can help improve overall employee well-being while raising long-term retention rates. Talk with your benefits broker to see what makes sense financially and logistically.
Tips for facilitating successful leaves
It never hurts to refine your leave communication and facilitation. Keep these tips in mind to help employees get the best possible leave experience:
Keep your employee HR portal and employee handbook up to date with leave information, including protocol around requesting a leave and applying for state benefits
Include clear, detailed descriptions of CT Paid Leave, CT FMLA, and federal FMLA
Share a cheat sheet for filling out state leave paperwork, so employees have examples they can follow
Schedule one-on-one meetings with HR when someone requests a leave
Set expectations around pay and employee protections during leave
Create a return-to-work plan before leave begins
Keep a clear line of communication between HR and employees on leave; make sure they know who their point of contact is
Embracing paid family leave in Connecticut
Running a business in a state with paid family leave benefits everyone. CT Paid Leave gives your employees the financial support they need during major life changes—without compromising your bottom line.
For more Connecticut business resources, check out our guides to hiring, starting a new business, business grants and loans, and state tax incentives.
