Beginning today, workers who need to take paid family and medical leave can officially apply for benefits by filing a claim through the CT Paid Leave Authority for events happening on or after January 1, 2022.
In 2019, Connecticut lawmakers passed P.A. 19-25: An Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave, making Connecticut the 8th state (including Washington D.C.) to create our own paid leave policy. Now, as the federal government debates national paid leave in the Build Back Better bill and workers across our state continue to live, work, and care for their loved ones during a global pandemic – paid leave in Connecticut is important more than ever.
Connecticut’s law is one of the most generous in the nation and will provide paid leave benefits to all workers, regardless of where they work or who they care for. Workers began to contribute a small percentage of their earnings to CT Paid Leave in January 2021 and as of TODAY, December 1, 2021, can finally begin to apply for paid leave benefits.
What does this mean for you?
If you have scheduled surgery, are anticipating needing to care for a loved one or are welcoming a child within the next few weeks and expect to take time off on or after January 1, 2022 you can apply for benefits starting right now.
Claims for paid leave benefits should be submitted 30 days in advance for foreseeable leaves and as soon as practicable for any leave that is needed unexpectedly. For example, if you are having a baby at the end of January and are anticipating using CT Paid Leave, you should apply for leave at least 30 days before you’re expecting your leave to begin. If you need sudden, unplanned emergency surgery, you should apply for paid leave as soon as you possibly can. CT Paid Leave will not make any benefit payments to cover leave before 1/1/22.
To prepare to submit a claim, check out the CT Paid Leave Authority’s website here for a step by step process and documentation needed for each qualifying reason for leave. Then, watch CT Paid Leave’s short video with steps to create an account to file a claim online.
Remember: CT Paid Leave provides income replacement benefits for workers who need to take time off to care for themselves or a loved one, or welcome a child; however, effective January 1, 2022 more workers are now eligible for job protection under Connecticut’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which is overseen by the Department of Labor. For more information, check out this short video.
For more information on the law and how it impacts you, check out the Campaign’s FAQ and the CT Paid Leave Authority.
