Connecticut sick leave bill signed into law

Hartford, CT — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) has signed into law legislation that expands the state’s 13-year-old paid sick leave law.

Signed May 21, H.B. 5005 requires employers to provide each employee with paid sick leave. Employees will accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, with a maximum of 40 hours a year.

Under the amended law, the requirement for employers with 25 or more employees will go into effect Jan. 1. For employers with 11 or more employees, the effective date is Jan. 1, 2026. On Jan. 1, 2027, all employers will be required to provide paid sick leave.

“We’ve experienced quite a culture change since 2011, and that’s especially true even more since we experienced the pandemic,” House Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford) said in a report published by The Associated Press, adding that people no longer want themselves or a co-worker to go into work sick. “People shouldn’t have to choose between being sick, making other people sick and losing out on compensation.”

Before being amended, the law – enacted in 2011 – required most employers with at least 50 employees to give “service workers” up to 40 hours of paid sick leave each year, according to Connecticut Office of Legislative Research. The state defined nearly 70 different service worker occupations, including ambulance drivers, crossing guards, pharmacists and taxi drivers.

The leave can be used for an illness, injury or health condition for a worker, their spouse or a child; a medical diagnosis, care or treatment; preventative medical care; a mental health wellness day; or certain reasons related to being a victim of family violence or sexual assault.