Get an overview of the Connecticut labor laws small businesses should know when hiring, and updates on employment laws that could impact your business.
The state minimum wage in Connecticut is $15.69 per hour.
References: Connecticut State Minimum Wage
Connecticut follows the federal minimum exempt requirement of $884 per week or $43,888 per year for most exemptions from minimum wage and overtime.
References: Federal Minimum Exemption Threshold
Employees in Connecticut working 7.5 hours or more must receive at least a 30-minute meal break. The break must be granted after the first two hours and before the final two hours unless a written agreement specifies otherwise.
References: Meal Breaks
Employers in Connecticut must allow employees to use their designated breaks to pump breast milk or breastfeed. Employers must also provide reasonable accommodations, including offering a private space, other than a restroom, for employees to pump breast milk. Connecticut employers must allow employees to take additional breaks, which may be unpaid, as needed on top of regularly scheduled breaks per the federal PUMP Act.
References: Lactation Requirements
Keep up to date with important changes to state and local employment laws in Connecticut.
Effective October 1, 2024, Connecticut has expanded its family violence leave law to include leave for sexual assault. Under the law, if an employee is a victim of family violence, Connecticut employers with 3 or more employees must provide up to 12 days of leave per calendar year to obtain assistance, participate in civil/criminal proceedings, or relocate. Employers should review and update their handbook policies to reflect the changes to this law.
On June 26, 2023, Connecticut enacted a law that enhances the existing provisions of the state's paid sick and safe leave law by broadening the eligible reasons for which covered employees can utilize their leave entitlements. In addition to existing eligible uses, employees may now use sick and safe leave for their own “mental health wellness day” or to care for a family member who is the victim of sexual violence or assault. Employers should review and revise their leave policies and educate employees on the new paid sick and safe leave uses.
Following larger companies being phased in last year, now all employers in Connecticut with 5 or more employees will be required to participate in the state retirement program, MyCTSavings, or offer a retirement plan that meets certain minimum requirements.
Connecticut employers with 5 to 25 employees are required to register for MyCTSavings or register their exemption if they are already offering a qualified, employer-sponsored retirement savings plan, by March 30, 2023. Please note that Justworks will not be filing exemptions on behalf of customers.
Connecticut passed a new law expanding many provisions of its existing sick leave law. These updates include applicability to smaller employers, accelerated minimum accrual rate of sick hours, expanded reasons for taking leave, new notice of rights and paystub requirements, and prohibitions on requiring employees to provide documentation to take sick leave, among others. Many of these updates will take effect on January 1, 2025 for covered employers with 25 or more employees. Requirements for covered employers with 11 or more employees will be effective January 1, 2026, while requirements for covered employers with 1 or more employees will be phased in on January 1, 2027.
Employers with Connecticut employees should review their onboarding and time off policies and procedures to ensure compliance with this updated law before January.
Beginning June 1, 2023, the minimum hourly wage in Connecticut will increase to $15.00 per hour. Employers should review all employee current compensation accordingly and make changes where necessary.
Connecticut’s ‘Clean Slate’ law creates new protections for candidates and employees who have, or may have, erased criminal records for cannabis possession and other designated misdemeanor charges. The new law bars employers from engaging in discriminatory actions, such as offering lower compensation or creating separate job conditions for those with erased records or other covered criminal backgrounds. Employers should review their current hiring and background check policies and practices with employment counsel to determine if any changes should be made.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.
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