Connecticut’s Paid Sick Leave Act requires certain employers with 50 or more employees in Connecticut to provide 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to service workers. The statute defines service worker as an hourly, nonexempt employee engaged in an occupation with one of the “broad or detailed occupation code numbers and titles” listed under Connecticut General Statutes. Service Workers accrue a minimum of one hours of paid sick leave for each 40 hours worked. Service Workers may accrue a maximum of 40 hours of paid sick leave per year and employees may carry over paid sick leave into the next calendar year, but they may only use 40 hours of their accrued time per year.

The recently revised statute includes provisions and clarifications in regards to: determining whether or not an employer is exempt from providing sick leave, changes to the time-frame for accruing paid sick leave, and additional service worker classifications covered by the Act.

Effective January 1, 2015 Employers must determine whether or not they meet the 50-employee threshold based solely on the number of employees on its payroll for the week containing October 1. If an Employer has 50 or more employees employed as of October 1 then they will be responsible for administering paid sick leave.

The amendment also includes provisions to the timeframe for accruing paid sick leave. Employees will accrue one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked during whatever 365-day year the employer uses to calculate employee benefits. This allows employers to start the benefit year on any date, rather than only on January 1.

The amendment also extends the paid sick leave benefits to radiologic technologists by adding them to the list of “service workers.” The amendments to this statute are intended to provide relief as well as clarification to employers and well as employees.