In Connecticut, employers must offer employees paid sick leave. Additionally, employers with at least fifty (50) employees must provide paid time off to employees who work in the service industry. These employees can accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every forty (40) hours of work, up to a maximum of forty (40) hours of leave per year. Sick leave may be used for the employee's own illness or to care for a family member.
Connecticut also requires employers to offer unpaid leave in several situations. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees working for employers with at least fifty (50) employees can take up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave for personal illness, bonding with a new child, or caregiving responsibilities. FMLA provisions also allow leave for family members of military personnel during deployments or active service. Furthermore, both Connecticut and federal laws permit up to twenty-six (26) weeks of leave within a year for caring for a family member who has sustained a serious injury during active military duty. Meanwhile, current regulations require employers with at least three (3) employees to grant a reasonable period of leave to employees disabled due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
Starting January 1, 2022, Connecticut employees will qualify for paid family and medical leave, expanding on these leave provisions. In addition, Connecticut employees are granted paid leave for the first five days of jury duty. During jury service, employees cannot be compelled to work on any day they serve for eight (8) or more hours.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about leaves of absence for employees in Connecticut, or wish to consult an attorney regarding a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or Jmaya@mayalaw.com to arrange a free initial consultation.
