Connecticut · Paid Leave · Updated April 2026

CT PSL 2026: 11+ employees covered, 1 hr per 30 worked.

Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave law was substantially expanded by Public Act 24-8 in 2024. Phase 2 (effective January 1, 2026) drops the employer coverage threshold to 11 or more employees — down from 25 in Phase 1. Workers accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (down from per-40 under prior law), capped at 40 hours per year. The 'service worker' concept was eliminated entirely — coverage now extends to all employees with limited exceptions for seasonal workers (120 days or less per year) and certain construction trade union members. Critically, Public Act 24-8 ELIMINATED documentation requirements — employers cannot require workers to provide proof that sick leave was used for a permitted purpose.

Coverage Threshold
11+ employees
Accrual
1 hr per 30
Annual Cap
40 hours
Active

PSL Accrual + 11-Employee Threshold Tracking

Tracks 1-hour-per-30 accrual, 40-hour annual cap. Validates employer is at 11+ employee threshold for 2026 coverage. Maintains required wage statement display. Blocks documentation requests.

Block documentation request for PSL use
Flag · 11-employee coverage threshold + Phase 3 calendar
Critical · most-favorable rule with PFML coordination
Always running

What those rules do as hours accumulate and PSL is requested.

The hero card configuration: Block on documentation requests, Flag on threshold tracking, Critical on PFML coordination.

Block · documentation request for PSL use

Public Act 24-8 eliminated the prior documentation requirement. Employers are PROHIBITED from requiring workers to provide documentation that sick leave was used for a permitted purpose. Attempts to require documentation are blocked.

Flag · 11-employee coverage + Phase 3 calendar

Employers with 11+ employees are covered in 2026. Phase 3 (January 1, 2027) drops the threshold to 1+ employees — universal coverage. Employers near the threshold see the upcoming Phase 3 timeline in compliance previews.

Critical · PFML coordination at most-favorable

CT PSL and CT PFML can both apply to the same leave event. Employers must follow the most-favorable rule for the worker. PSL is paid at $16.94 floor; PFML provides up to $1,016.40/week wage replacement. Workers can elect to use PSL to top off PFML benefits.

Skip the configuration

Deploy Connecticut PSL Phase 2 in your Teambridge.

Tell us about your Connecticut workforce. We'll spin up 1-per-30 accrual, 11-employee threshold tracking with Phase 3 (2027) transition calendar, documentation-request blocking, PFML coordination, and 21 other Connecticut policies in a sandbox tenant.

Or book a 30-min walkthrough. We respond within 4 business hours.

The rule, plainly stated

11+ employees, 1-per-30 accrual, no documentation, paid at minimum wage floor.

Public Act 24-8's 2024 expansion was one of the most significant PSL law changes in the country — eliminating the service worker carve-out, reducing the documentation burden, and accelerating accrual. Phase 3 in 2027 will bring universal coverage.

Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-57r through 31-57w — Paid Sick Leave: An employer in Connecticut shall provide each employee with paid sick leave at the rate of one hour for every thirty hours worked, up to a maximum of forty hours per year, payable at the employee's normal hourly wage or the state minimum wage of $16.94, whichever is greater.

Three-phase coverage expansion

Public Act 24-8 set a multi-year phaseup: Phase 1 (Jan 1, 2025): employers with 25+ employees. Phase 2 (Jan 1, 2026): employers with 11+ employees — down from 25. Phase 3 (Jan 1, 2027): employers with 1+ employees — universal coverage. The 2027 phase brings Connecticut into alignment with Minnesota and a handful of other states with no employer-size carve-out for PSL.

Service worker concept eliminated

Pre-2024, Connecticut PSL only covered 'service workers' — a narrowly defined category that included social workers, librarians, home health aides, cooks, bartenders, fast food workers, retail salespersons, and similar roles. PA 24-8 eliminated the service worker concept entirely. Coverage now extends to all employees with limited exceptions: seasonal employees (work 120 days or less in a year) and certain construction trade union members covered by multi-employer health plans under collective bargaining agreements. Self-employed individuals are also excluded.

On autopilot

Teambridge runs PSL accrual, blocks documentation requests, and surfaces Phase 3 transition.

The combination of expanded coverage (11+ in 2026, 1+ in 2027), no documentation, and minimum-wage pay floor makes Connecticut PSL one of the most worker-protective frameworks in the country.

01 · Per-shift accrual

1 hour per 30 worked credited.

Every shift's hours add to the worker's PSL balance at 1-per-30. Accrual is automatic and credited each pay period.

02 · 11-employee threshold + Phase 3 calendar

Coverage status surfaced.

Employer headcount is checked against the 11-employee threshold. Above: PSL coverage required. Below: not yet covered — but Phase 3 (1+ in 2027) is on the horizon. Operators see the upcoming transition timeline.

03 · Documentation request blocking

Manager attempts denied.

If a manager attempts to require documentation for PSL use, the request is blocked. PA 24-8 prohibits documentation requirements.

04 · Per-paystub balance display

Balance + usage shown.

Each pay statement displays the worker's current PSL balance and usage during the pay period.

Free · No commitment

Still evaluating? Get a free Connecticut compliance audit.

Send us your existing Connecticut scheduling and pay configuration. Our compliance team returns a written audit within 5 business days — every Connecticut-specific exposure ranked by risk and back-pay liability.

FAQ

People also ask.

Who is covered by Connecticut Paid Sick Leave in 2026?
Employers with 11 or more employees are covered effective January 1, 2026 — down from 25+ in 2025. Phase 3 (January 1, 2027) drops the threshold to 1+ employees, bringing universal coverage.
What's the PSL accrual rate?
1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked — increased from per-40 by Public Act 24-8 (2024). Annual usage cap: 40 hours. Workers can carry over unused accrual to subsequent years up to the 40-hour cap.
Can employers require documentation for PSL?
No. Public Act 24-8 eliminated the prior documentation requirement. Employers are PROHIBITED from requiring workers to provide proof that sick leave was used for a permitted purpose.
How is PSL paid?
At the worker's normal hourly wage OR the state minimum wage ($16.94 for 2026), whichever is greater. For variable-wage workers, pay rate is the average hourly wage in the pay period preceding PSL use.
Are tipped workers paid the cash tipped wage during PSL?
No. PSL is paid at the full state minimum ($16.94) or the worker's normal wage rate, whichever is greater — not the tipped cash wage of $6.38 or $8.23. PSL for tipped workers is more expensive than regular hours.
What's the exposure on PSL violations?
Double damages under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-72: unpaid PSL wages doubled, plus mandatory attorney fees and court costs. Class action exposure when patterns affect multiple workers. Plus separate civil penalties from CT DOL.