Starting January 1, 2025, Connecticut will implement a transformative expansion of its Paid Sick Leave Law, significantly broadening the scope of benefits available to employees. This legislation marks a pivotal shift, as it will not only extend coverage to more employees but will also introduce new qualifying reasons for taking sick leave. With these changes set to continue evolving until 2027, employers must navigate a complex landscape of updated regulations that will affect their policies and practices. Below is a discussion of the key aspects of the new legislation and how it will differ from the law that currently exists.
Covered Employee Definition Expanded
Currently, Connecticut’s Paid Sick Leave Law only applies to employers with 50 or more employees. Covered employees are “service workers” and they are provided up to 40 hours of paid sick leave a year. The law currently defines “service worker” as an employee engaged in an occupation listed in the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics in its Occupational Classification System. Examples include individuals employed as food service managers, bartenders, pharmacists, childcare workers, cashiers, and retail salespersons. Per-diem and temporary workers are excluded from the current version of the Connecticut law.
However, effective January 1, 2025, per diem, temporary employees, and private sector employees will all be eligible for paid sick leave, thus eliminating the service worker criteria in the new legislation. The only individuals not covered by the law will be seasonal and certain unionized employees. Moreover, employers who employ 25 or more employees will be considered a “covered employer” under the new law, thus significantly reducing the employee threshold. By 2027, employers with one or more employees will be covered.
Qualifying Reasons Expanded
Employees can currently take paid sick leave to care for their own health condition or that of their family member, to obtain a medical diagnosis or treatment for a health condition, to receive preventative care, to focus on their mental well-being, or if the employee or a family member is the victim of domestic violence. At the moment, a qualifying “family member” only includes the employee’s spouse or a child under the age of 18.
While the above-mentioned qualifying reasons to take leave will remain intact, the new legislation will add several new permissible reasons for taking paid leave. These new qualifying events include the employer’s organization or a family member’s school or place of care closing due to a public health emergency, or a determination that the employee or their family member poses a health risk due to a communicable disease.
The definition of a “family member” will also be expanded. The new law will include adult children, registered domestic partners, parents (including stepparents and in-laws), siblings, grandparents, anyone related by blood to the employee, and those whose association to the employee is the equivalent to family.
Additional Updates
Employers will also be expected to abide by a new accrual rate that provides employees with one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Although the accrual rate has accelerated, employees will face a waiting period of 120 days before they are able to use their paid sick leave.
Furthermore, employers will be prohibited from asking employees for documentation to prove that the requested leave is for a qualifying reason.
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