Connecticut employment law overview

Connecticut has many laws that provide greater protections to employees than federal law, including pregnancy accommodation rights, a higher minimum wage and paid sick leave, but generally follows federal law with respect to topics such as overtime pay, jury duty leave and military leave. 

Select Connecticut employment requirements are summarized below to help an employer understand the range of employment laws affecting the employer-employee relationship in the state. An employer must comply with federal, state, and local law. Where there is overlap, complying with the law that offers the greatest rights or benefits to the employee will generally apply. 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and worker protections 

Connecticut employers may be required to comply with requirements related to EEO and worker protections.   

Fair employment practices 

The Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA) prohibits employers with one or more employees from discriminating on the basis of protected characteristics, including but not limited to: 

• Race (including hairstyle and other ethnic traits historically associated with race); 
• Color; 
• Ancestry; 
• National origin; 
• Religion; 
• Pregnancy (including breastfeeding and related medical conditions); 
• Disability (physical, mental, intellectual and learning); 
• Genetic information; 
• Age; 
• Gender (including transgender status, and gender identity and expression); 
• Sexual orientation; 
• Marital or civil union status; and 
• Status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking. 

Harassment on the basis of these factors is also a form of illegal discrimination and is prohibited under the CFEPA. 

The CFEPA also prohibits retaliation against a person who opposes, reports or assists another person in opposing unlawful discrimination. 

Equal pay 

Connecticut’s equal pay law prohibits sex-based pay discrimination between employees performing comparable work on jobs requiring equal skill, effort and responsibility performed under similar working conditions. 

An employer may not retaliate against any employee who has opposed any discriminatory compensation practice, filed a complaint, or testified or assisted in any proceeding under the law. 

Pay transparency  

Connecticut has a pay transparency law that requires employers to disclose the pay range for a position to applicants and employees in certain situations. Covered employers must disclose pay ranges directly to job applicants and employees at certain designated times. There is no requirement to include pay information in job postings.  

Salary history inquiry restrictions 

Connecticut’s Act Concerning Pay Equity and Fairness prohibits an employer from inquiring or directing a third party to inquire about a prospective employee’s wage and salary history. The law does not apply when an applicant voluntarily discloses wage and salary history.  

An employer may ask about other elements of an applicant’s compensation structure but may not ask about their value. 

Employee wage disclosure rights 

Connecticut’s Act Concerning Pay Equity and Fairness prohibits an employer from terminating, disciplining, discriminating against, retaliating against or otherwise penalizing an employee who inquires about a co-worker’s wages or who discloses or discusses the amount of his or her wages or the wages of a co-worker that have been disclosed voluntarily. The Act also prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to sign a waiver or other document denying the employee of the right to inquire about, disclose or discuss wages. The Act does not require that an employer disclose any wage information to an employee. 

Pregnancy accommodation 

Under the CFEPA, an employer with certain employees must provide reasonable accommodations to an employee or applicant due to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition (including lactation). Examples of reasonable accommodations include but are not limited to: 

• Being permitted to sit while working; 
• More frequent or longer breaks or periodic rest; 
• Assistance with manual labor; 
• Light-duty assignments; 
• Job restructuring; 
• Modified work schedules; 
• Temporary transfers to less-strenuous or less-hazardous work; 
• Time off to recover from childbirth; or 
• Break time and appropriate facilities for expressing breast milk. 

Breastfeeding breaks 

Under Connecticut law, an employer must allow an employee to breastfeed or express breast milk during meal or break periods. An employer must also make a reasonable effort to provide a room or other location that: 

• Is close to the employee’s work area; 
• Provides privacy to breastfeed or express breast milk; and 
• Is not a toilet stall. 

Employers may not discriminate against or discipline an employee for taking advantage of her right to breastfeed or express breast milk at work. 

Access to personnel files 

Under Connecticut’s Personnel Files Act, employees may inspect their personnel files up to two times per calendar year. The employer must provide access to current employees within seven business days and to former employees within 10 business days. 

The place of inspection may vary, but is generally at the employer’s place of business or a location reasonably nearby. An employer and a former employee should meet at a “mutually agreed upon” location; otherwise, the employer must mail a copy of the file within 10 days after receiving the former employee’s written request. 

The Personnel Files Act requires employers to maintain personnel and medical records separately. Upon written request, the employer must disclose an employee’s medical records to the employee’s physician or to a physician chosen by the employer with the employee’s consent. 

An employee has the right to have information it believes is inaccurate be removed or amended, or else have his or her statement explaining or disputing the information included in the file. 

Whistleblower protections 

Under Connecticut law, an employer may not penalize or take any adverse employment action against an employee for reporting the employer’s violation or suspected violation of the law or for cooperating in an investigation, hearing or inquiry into alleged legal violations. 

Scheduling 

Connecticut does not have a scheduling law applicable to private employers. 

Recruiting and hiring 

Connecticut employers may be required to comply with requirements related to recruiting and hiring.   

Credit checks 

Connecticut law generally prohibits an employer from requiring an applicant to consent to a request for a credit report that contains information about his or her credit score, credit account balances, payment history, or savings or checking account balances or account numbers as a condition of employment. 

Ban the Box and Fair Chance  

Connecticut employers may not ask about a prospective employee’s prior arrests, criminal charges or convictions on an initial job application. Exceptions apply if the job requires a security bond or if a federal or state law requires an employer to make a criminal history inquiry. 

E-Verify 

There are no state-specific requirements for private employers related to the use of E-Verify in Connecticut. 

Wage and hour 

Connecticut employers may be required to comply with certain wage and hour requirements.   

Minimum wage 

Connecticut’s minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage. Currently, the state minimum wage is $16.94 per hour, with certain exceptions. Connecticut also establishes minimum requirements for employees who are not paid strictly on an hourly basis. 

Overtime 

Connecticut law generally requires an employer to pay covered employees overtime at a rate of one and one-half times the regular rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek. However, there are variations on the standard overtime formula in certain situations, such as where an employee has a fluctuating workweek or is paid by piece rates. 

Meal and rest breaks 

Connecticut law requires an employer to provide an unpaid meal period of at least 30 consecutive minutes to employees who work at least seven and a half consecutive hours. The meal period must be given some time after the first two hours and before the last two hours of work unless certain exemptions apply (e.g., danger to public safety, fewer than five employees on a certain shift at one business location or the employee’s position may only be performed by one person). 

Child labor 

Child labor laws in Connecticut restrict the occupations in which minors may be employed and the number of hours and times during which they may work. 

All minors are prohibited from working in hazardous occupations, and minors under the age of 16 are prohibited from working in a variety of other occupations, such as manufacturing and food service. Child labor laws also list many occupations in which minors are actively permitted to engage, such as agriculture and office work. 

Connecticut also has a complex set of requirements that govern the times during which minors may work. These requirements differ depending on the age of the minor and the employer’s industry, with separate working time restrictions set out for 16- and 17-year-olds and for 14- and 15-year-olds. 

Minors who are 14 or 15 years of age may not work: 

• During school hours; 
• Before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m., except from July 1 to Labor Day, when evening hours are extended to 9:00 p.m.; 
• More than three hours per day on school days, or eight hours on nonschool days; and 
• More than 18 hours a week during school weeks or 40 hours during nonschool weeks. 

Connecticut requires minors to have statement of age/working papers to work. 

Pay and benefits 

Connecticut employers may be required to follow certain requirements with respect to employee pay and benefits.   

Wage payment methods 

Employees must be paid in cash or by negotiable check. Payment by direct deposit or electronic paycard is allowed provided certain requirements are met. 

Pay frequency and lag time 

Employers must pay employees weekly or biweekly on regular paydays designated in advance by the employer. Employers are permitted to pay employees on a basis other than weekly or biweekly if they first obtain a waiver from the state Department of Labor. Paydays must occur within eight days after the end of the pay period. 

If the regular payday falls on a nonworkday, payment must be made on the preceding workday. 

Pay deductions 

Under Connecticut law, an employer may not withhold or divert employee wages except in strictly limited circumstances, including: 

• If the employer is required or empowered to do so by state or federal law (e.g., child support and creditor garnishment); 
• If the employer is required to do so by another state’s incoming tax withholding law for employees working or living in the other state; 
• If the employer has written authorization from the employee; and 
• For retirement plan contributions. 

Pay statements 

With each payment of wages, Connecticut employers are required to provide employees with a written record of certain pay-related information, including: 

• Hours worked; 
• Gross earnings, showing straight time and overtime as separate entries; 
• Itemized deductions; and 
• Net earnings. 

Wage theft 

Connecticut does not have a wage theft law applicable to private employers. 

Health care continuation 

Under Connecticut COBRA, an employer must offer continuation of health care coverage for up to 30 months to an employee and his or her covered dependents that lose coverage as a result of certain qualifying events, including: 

• Layoff; 
• Reduction of hours; 
• Leave of absence; and 
• Termination of employment (except for gross misconduct). 

In certain circumstances, coverage may continue for up to 36 months. 

Temporary disability insurance 

Connecticut does not have requirements for private employers related to temporary disability insurance. 

Time off and leaves of absence 

Connecticut employers may be required to follow certain requirements with respect to time off and leaves of absence. 

Family and medical leave 

The Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (CTFMLA) requires employers with one or more employees in the state to provide eligible employees with a total of 12 workweeks of job-protected leave during any 12-month period for qualifying reasons, including: 

• The birth, adoption or placement for foster care of a child; 
• To care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition; 
• For the employee’s own serious health condition; 
• To donate an organ or bone marrow; 
• For a qualifying exigency due to a parent, child or spouse on or called to active duty; and 
• For military caregiver leave, if the employee is the parent, child, spouse or next of kin of a servicemember who has sustained a serious injury or illness in the line of duty.

Connecticut also provides for paid family leave benefits. Eligible employees receive partial wage replacement for leave taken under the CTFMLA and for reasons related to family violence and sexual assault. 

Paid sick leave 

An employer with 11 or more employees in the state must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to eligible employees. Leave may be used for the following reasons: 

• The employee’s or a family member’s mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; medical diagnosis, care or treatment; or preventative medical care for mental or physical health; 
• The employee’s mental health wellness day; 
• The employer’s place of business or a family member’s school or place of care is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency; 
• A determination that the employee or a family member poses a risk to the health of others due to their exposure to a communicable illness; and 
• The employee or a family member is a victim of family violence or sexual assault. 

Other time off requirements 

In addition to the CTFMLA, paid family and medical leave law and paid sick leave law, a Connecticut employer may be required to comply with other leave and time off laws, including but not limited to: 

• Pregnancy disability leave; 
• Crime victim leave; 
• Family violence and sexual assault victim leave; 
• Domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking victim leave; 
• Jury duty leave; 
• Legislative leave; 
• Elected official leave; 
• Military leave; 
• Civil Air Patrol leave; and 
• Emergency responder leave. 

Health and safety 

Connecticut employers may be required to follow certain requirements with respect to employee health and safety. 

Occupational safety and health 

The safety and health of Connecticut workplaces and employees is regulated by federal OSHA, as well as through state plan laws. 

Private sector employers in Connecticut fall under the jurisdiction of federal OSHA for compliance and enforcement and must follow the appropriate Code of Federal Regulations that applies to their industry and work practices.  

Connecticut also has a federally approved state plan applicable to public sector employers. 

Drug and alcohol testing 

Private sector employers in Connecticut may require employees and job applicants to submit to drug and alcohol tests under limited circumstances. 

The state’s drug and alcohol testing law does not apply to employers covered by mandatory testing programs regulated by the federal government 

Connecticut employers with federal contracts or recipients of federal grants must follow the requirements of state law concerning drug and alcohol testing. 

Smoke-free workplace 

A Connecticut employer is required to prohibit smoking and the use of electronic nicotine and cannabis delivery systems and vapor products in any area of any business facility under its control. 

Weapons in the workplace 

Connecticut is a May Issue state, which means that officials are not required to issue permits to carry a weapon to applicants, however, the state generally issues permits to the majority of qualified applicants. 

Employers and property owners may create weapons policies that limit or prevent individuals and employees from bringing concealed weapons on the premises.  

Safe driving practices 

Connecticut prohibits all drivers from using handheld cell phones, including texting, while operating a vehicle. 

Organizational exit 

Connecticut employers may be required to follow certain requirements when employees exit the organization. 

Final pay 

Upon termination, wages are due the next business day if the employee is terminated, or the next regular pay day if the employee is laid off, quits or is suspended as a result of a labor dispute. 

Wages owed to a deceased employee generally must be paid to the surviving spouse or conservator of the estate. 

Mass layoffs 

The Connecticut mini-WARN Act applies to all industrial, commercial or business entities that operate within the state that employs, or has employed, at least 100 employees in the last 12-months. 

When a covered employer closes or relocates a covered facility out of the state, it must pay for continuation of existing group health insurance for each affected employee, and his or her dependents, for 120 days from the date of closing or relocation, or until the employee becomes eligible for group coverage with another employer, whichever occurs first.  

AI in employment 

Connecticut does not have a law related to AI in employment applicable to private employers.