- Governor Ned Lamont announces that paid leave benefits in Connecticut are now available
- Income replacement benefit is currently capped at $780 a week, but is set to rise with scheduled hikes to Connecticut’s minimum wage
- A total of 5,565 people applied for leave in December
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Governor Ned Lamont has announced that paid leave benefits in Connecticut are now accessible to qualifying workers.
The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority began accepting applications for the state program in December and started granting benefits on Jan. 1. The program offers income replacement based on a worker’s earnings, up to 60 times the state minimum wage. This is currently $780 a week, though it will increase with scheduled hikes to Connecticut’s minimum wage to $14 an hour later this year and $15 an hour next year.
“The program is less than two weeks old, and already making a tremendous difference for the 400 residents and counting who’ve been approved for paid family and medical leave and will be able to take care of themselves or a loved one without worrying about how to make ends meet,” said Lamont. “Taking care of our workers is not only the right thing to do, but also the necessary thing to do to ensure that our state continues to thrive.”
- The program is funded through 0.5 percent payroll deductions, and applicants can collect up to 12 weeks of benefits
- Employees can take leave to recover from a serious injury or illness, including circumstances like pregnancy or bone marrow donation; assist a family member in such a recovery; address issues arising from family violence or a family member’s call to active military duty; or care for a family member injured during active military duty
- Connecticut’s program marks a major expansion of paid leave benefits, which are now guaranteed at all employer businesses; previously, only larger businesses were required to offer unpaid federal leave benefits
- A total of 5,565 applications were filed in December, mostly by women and millennials; just over half were seeking paid leave for a pregnancy or bonding with an infant
