Connecticut residents can begin receiving up to 12 weeks of paid time off from the state’s new paid family and medical leave program beginning with the new year. It’s one of a handful of new state laws officially in effect as of January 1.
The family and medical leave law, which was originally signed by Democratic Gov Ned Lamont in 2019, allows workers to get paid while they take time off to care for their own health, a newborn child, or a sick family member. The program, which state officials say marks the eighth of its kind in the nation, is paid for through a 0.5% tax on employee wages that began a year ago.
The amount of money workers can receive varies, depending on their salaries, and is capped at 60 times the state’s minimum wage, which is currently $13 an hour.
Some other new laws set to take effect include the following:
Insulin prices
Out-of-pocket costs for insulin will be limited to $25 a month, while the out-of-pocket expense for equipment and supplies, such as blood glucose test strips and insulin syringes, will be limited to $100 a month for those with health insurance that is regulated by the state.
State Sen Matthew Lesser, D-Middletown, cochair of the General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said Connecticut’s law is the “strongest in the country.” However, he said there still needs to be national legislation “because there are too many people who will fall through the cracks otherwise.”
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