Connecticut enacted the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) in 2019, which entitles eligible employees to paid family leave. The PMFLA amended previous state law and created a Paid Leave Authority to provide income-replacement benefits for employees who take uncompensated family leave.

In March 2022, the Connecticut Department of Labor issued proposed regulations to implement the PFMLA. After some small adjustments, the proposed changes went into effect on August 3, 2022. The regulations implementing the PFMLA include these provisions:

• Employees get more leave — Employees are now entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave every 12 months, which is 24 weeks every two years. The earlier version of the law allowed only 16 weeks every two years. There must be a valid reason to take leave, such as caring for a seriously ill family member.
• Additional leave for incapacity during pregnancy — Employees who develop a serious health condition while pregnant are now entitled to up to two additional weeks of leave during the 12-month period.
• Paid leave program — Employees who take leave for a qualifying reason and are not able to use accrued paid leave through their employer can receive income replacement benefits from the state. However, employees cannot get paid leave from their employer and income replacement at the same time.
• More employees are eligible for leave — All employers must provide unpaid leave regardless of the size of their work staffs. Previously, the law applied only to companies with 75 or more employees. Further, employees now qualify for leave after working for an employer for three months. Previously, employees had to have worked for the employer for 1,000 hours or more during the prior 12 months. In addition, the new law applies to part-time workers, who had been denied leave under the old law
• Simplified lawsuit process — An employee who alleges that their company violated the PFMLA can file a lawsuit against the employer within 180 days of the violation. Previously, employees were forced to file a claim with the state Department of Labor before going to court.

As a law firm that has defended Connecticut workers’ rights for decades, we understand that there will be uncertainties about how these new laws apply in specific situations. Our attorneys are ready to meet with any worker who has questions about leave eligibility or who believes their rights have been infringed.

To speak with a labor and employment lawyer at Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online anytime. We have offices in Hamden and East Haven, and we can also meet you via video conference if that is easier for you.