Connecticut Paid Sick Leave

    Revision Date: 
    January 1, 2025

    Notice

    Connecticut General Statutes §§ 31‐57r ‐ 31‐57w – Paid Sick Leave.

    Accrual

    The accrual is at a rate of 1 hour of paid sick leave for each 30 hours worked by an employee up to a maximum of 40 hours per year (the employer shall choose any 365-day period used to calculate employee benefits in order to administer paid sick leave).

    • No employee shall be entitled to use more than the maximum number of accrued hours.

    Carry Over

    Each employee shall be entitled to carry over up to 40 unused accrued hours of paid sick leave from the current year period to the following year period.

    Use of Paid Sick Leave

    An employee shall be entitled to the use of accrued paid sick leave 120 calendar days after their date of hire.

    Employees may use accrued paid sick leave in one-hour increments.

    Recordkeeping

    Employers must track and keep records of hours worked and paid sick leave accrued and used for every employee.

    Pay

    Each employer shall pay each employee for paid sick leave at a pay rate equal to the greater of either:

    • the normal hourly wage for that employee; or
    • the minimum fair wage rate under section 31-58 of the general statutes in effect for the pay period during which the employee used paid sick leave.

    Reasons for Use of Leave

    An employee may use paid sick leave for his or her own:

    • illness, injury or health condition;
    • the medical diagnosis, care or treatment of his or her mental illness or physical illness, injury or health condition;
    • preventative medical care; or
    • mental health wellness day.

    An employee may use paid sick leave for a family member’s:

    • illness, injury or health condition;
    • the medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; or
    • preventative medical care.

    An employee may use paid sick leave when either:

    • the employer’s place of business; or
    • a family member’s school or place of care closes by order of a public official due to a public health emergency.

    An employee may use paid sick leave when a health authority, the employer of the employee or the employee’s family member, or a health care provider determines that the employee or the employee’s family member poses a risk to the health of others because of exposure to a communicable disease.

    An employee may use paid sick leave if the employee or the employee’s family member is a victim of family violence or sexual assault:

    • for medical care or psychological or other counseling for physical or psychological injury or disability;
    • to obtain services from a victim services organization;
    • to relocate due to such family violence or sexual assault;
    • to participate in any civil or criminal proceedings related to or resulting from such family violence or sexual assault.

    “Family member” means a spouse, sibling, child, grandparent, grandchild, or parent of an employee, or an individual who is related to the employee by blood or by an affinity whose close association the employee shows to be equivalent to those family relationships.

    Documentation

    No employer shall require an employee to provide any documentation that paid sick leave is being taken for a reason covered by the paid sick leave law.

    Prohibition of Retaliation or Discrimination

    No employer shall take retaliatory personnel action or discriminate against an employee because the employee:

    • requests or uses paid sick leave either in accordance with the act; or
    • in accordance with the employer’s own paid sick leave policy, as the case may be; or
    • files a complaint with the Labor Commissioner alleging the employer’s violation of the act.

    Collective Bargaining

    Nothing in the act shall diminish any rights provided to any employee under a collective bargaining agreement, preempt or override the terms of any collective bargaining agreement effective prior to January 1, 2012, or July 1, 2012, pursuant to chapter 319pp.

    Complaint Process

    Any employee aggrieved by a violation of the provisions of the law may file a complaint with the Labor Commissioner. Upon receipt of any such complaint, said Commissioner may hold a hearing. After a hearing, the Commissioner may assess a civil penalty or award other relief.

    Employees may file a complaint on the Department of Labor website.

    This is not the complete Paid Sick Leave law. Please contact your Human Resources office for additional information.