It may already be April, but Connecticut employers still have several “new year” compliance updates to address. As spring approaches, now is a good time to dust off employee handbooks and make sure 2026 changes are fully implemented.

• As of January 1, 2026, Connecticut employers with eleven or more employees must provide paid sick leave to all nonseasonal workers, with full expansion to employers of any size expected by January 1, 2027.
• Connecticut’s Paid Family and Medical Leave maximum weekly benefit rose to $1,016.40 in 2026 while the employee contribution rate remains unchanged at 0.5 percent of wages.
• Connecticut employers may want to audit exempt employee classifications in light of the state’s $16.94 minimum wage, as the narrow gap with the federal FLSA salary threshold may create wage-and-hour exposure for employees who do not qualify for a Connecticut white-collar or outside sales exemption.

As of January 1, 2026, employers with eleven or more employees in Connecticut are required to provide paid sick leave for qualifying reasons to all employees in the state, excluding seasonal workers. The phased expansion continues, and by January 1, 2027, employers with just one or more employees in the state will be covered. The employee count threshold is determined by the company’s payroll for the week containing January 1, but guidance provided by the Connecticut Department of Labor confirms that it counts only employees in the state of Connecticut.

Employers newly “...

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