How Connecticut Law Differs
Meal Periods and Breaks
- Connecticut law requires employees who work more than 7 ½ hours in a shift, must be allowed to take a 30-minute unpaid meal break. The break must be offered after the first 2 hours, and before the last 2 hours of their shift. Employers are not required to schedule every employee the meal break but cannot refuse an employee request for a meal break or coerce the employee not to take their break.
Paid Sick Leave
- Connecticut law requires an employer to pay an employee up to 40 hours of sick leave per calendar year. The employee earns those hours at a rate of 1 hour for every 40 hours worked.
- Unused vacation time does carry over to the following year but is always capped at 40 hours per year.
- Employees must be paid their regular rate for only the scheduled hours they missed on the day they are requesting sick pay. Tipped workers get paid minimum wage.
- You are not allowed to ask for any proof of them being sick or a doctor’s note unless they have been out of work for longer than 3 days. Employees can use their sick leave for themselves or when caring for family members
Reporting Pay
- Connecticut law requires an employer to pay the employee a minimum of 2 hours for each shift that they report for a scheduled shift but are sent home before performing any work.
- Reporting to work means that they have arrived at the employer’s work site for a scheduled shift. If an employee is notified any time before they arrive at their place of work reporting pay is not required.
Final Payment of Wages
- Connecticut law requires that an employee who was involuntarily terminated from employment must receive all wages owed to them no later than 24 hours after their termination. If the employee quits, they can be paid at the next regular payday.
Federal FMLA
- Connecticut law offers PAID and protected leave for employees with a serious medical condition, a pregnancy for both the mother and father and caring for one’s family. This benefit is administered by the State of Connecticut and funded by deductions from the employees’ wages each week. The amount of money an employee will earn is based on a review of previous earned wages. The protected leave is the same as federal, 12 weeks, with the only exception being a possible 2 additional weeks for the birth of a child.