- Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Authority opens payment processing portal for employers
- Withholdings for Connecticut’s new paid leave program began in January, and contributions must be made quarterly
- Authority provides guidance on how to submit withholdings
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Employers in Connecticut have until the end of the month to make their first quarter payments toward the state’s paid family and medical leave program.
The Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Authority has set up its payment processing portal for employers to submit withholdings from employee paychecks. Contributions are due by the last day of the month following each quarter.
Employers can access the payment portal by logging into their account on the Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Authority’s website, clicking “File + Pay,” and entering subject earnings, or total wages, for the period. The system automatically determines how much the employer needs to contribute. Employers can make the payment by linking a credit card or bank account to the system, and have the option of making it their default payment method.
The paid leave program requires all businesses with at least one employee to withhold 0.5 percent of employee wages and contribute the money to the program on a quarterly basis. Withholdings began on Jan. 1, and eligible employees can begin to draw benefits from the program starting on Jan. 1, 2022. The program covers up to 12 weeks of leave with weekly benefits capped at 60 times the minimum wage.
The Paid Family and Medical Leave Authority has enrolled 87,000 businesses in the program, more than twice the number that had signed up in January. The authority’s CEO, Andrea Barton Reeves, credited outreach efforts for encouraging more companies to come on board.
The figure means several thousand eligible businesses have not signed up. The authority previously warned that companies that fail to enroll can withhold no more than 1 percent of employee payrolls through June to catch up on missed deductions, and that employers can be held responsible for making up any shortfalls.
Reeves says the authority has the ability to penalize noncompliant businesses, but that doing so is not its primary focus. The authority is also continuing to hold regular webinars to provide guidance on the program.
