Connecticut Employment Laws for Employers

Connecticut minimum wage is $16.94 per hour (effective January 1, 2026). (Connecticut minimum wage (U.S. DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws table))

“Connecticut Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $16.94”

“(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that beginning on January 1, 2026, Connecticut’s minimum wage will increase from the current rate of $16.35 per hour to $16.94 per hour.”

dol.gov · portal.ct.gov

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Employers must pay weekly all wages due on a regular payday designated in advance; the Labor Commissioner may permit less frequent paydays on application. (U.S. DOL WHD State Payday Requirements)

“Connecticut X 4”

“Each employer shall pay weekly all moneys due each employee on a regular payday, designated in advance by the employer in cash or negotiable check or upon the employee's written request, by credit to such employee's bank account.”

dol.gov · portal.ct.gov

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Employees who work 7½ consecutive hours or more must get a ½ hour meal period at some time after the first 2 hours and before the last 2 hours of work. (Connecticut General Statutes 31-51ii (U.S. DOL WHD meal period table))

“Connecticut ½ hour at some time after first 2 hours and before last 2 hours for employees who work 7½ consecutive hours or more.”

“No person shall be required to work for seven and one-half or more consecutive hours without a period of at least thirty consecutive minutes for a meal. Such period shall be given at some time after the first two hours of work and before the last two hours.”

dol.gov · cga.ct.gov

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• Accrual: Connecticut paid sick leave: employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours actually worked. (Connecticut DOL, Paid Sick Leave FAQs)

  “Employees must accrue 1 hour of leave for every 30 hours worked.”

  “The accrual is at a rate of 1 hour of paid sick leave for each 30 hours worked by an employee up to a maximum of 40 hours per year”

  portal.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Annual cap: Employees accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year (employers may allow more). (Connecticut DOL, Paid Sick Leave FAQs)

  “An employee can accrue a maximum of 40 hours per year.”

  Same official text as quoted above (see the quote; Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-57r to 31-57w, CTDOL Paid Sick Leave notice (poster effective 1/1/2026) · portal.ct.gov).

  portal.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Employer coverage: Since January 1, 2026, the law covers employers with 11 or more employees in Connecticut, counted on the payroll for the week containing January 1st. (Connecticut DOL, Paid Sick Leave FAQs)

  “January 1, 2026 - employers with 11 or more employees in CT”

  “Each employer with 11 or more employees, based on the number of employees on its payroll for the week containing January 1st annually, shall provide paid sick leave annually to each of its employees in the state.”

  portal.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Employer coverage from 2027: From January 1, 2027, the law covers employers with 1 or more employees in Connecticut. (Connecticut DOL, Paid Sick Leave FAQs)

  “January 1, 2027 - employers with 1 or more employees in CT”

  “The threshold for coverage will be lowered in three phases, beginning with employers that have at least 25 employees on January 1, 2025; those with at least 11 employees beginning January 1, 2026; and those with at least one employee beginning January 1, 2027.”

  portal.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

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Connecticut recognizes a common-law claim for wrongful discharge when an at-will employee is fired in violation of an important public policy (Sheets v. Teddy's Frosted Foods). Courts treat the exception as narrow, and it is generally unavailable where a statute already provides a remedy. (Connecticut Civil Jury Instructions 3.14-3 Wrongful Discharge (citing Thibodeau v. Design Group One Architects, LLC, 260 Conn. 691 (2002)); Dunn v. Northeast Helicopters Flight Services, LLC, 346 Conn. 360 (2023); Sheets v. Teddy's Frosted Foods, Inc., 179 Conn. 471 (1980))

“However, there is an exception to this rule where the employee is terminated in violation of an important public policy.”

“In Sheets, this court recognized a new cause of action for the discharge of an at-will employee if the employee can prove a ‘‘demonstrably improper reason for dismissal . . . derived from some important violation of public policy.’’”

jud.ct.gov · jud.ct.gov

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Connecticut recognizes that statements in an employer's personnel manual or handbook can, in appropriate circumstances, create an express or implied contract that limits at-will termination; clear disclaimers can prevent this. (Wood v. Sempra Energy Trading Corp. (D. Conn. 2005), applying Finley v. Aetna Life & Casualty Co., 202 Conn. 190 (1987); Gallo v. Eaton Corp. (D. Conn. 2000), quoting Gaudio v. Griffin Health Services Corp., 249 Conn. 523 (1999))

“The Connecticut Supreme Court has held that "under appropriate circumstances, [representations in a personnel manual] may give rise to an express or implied contract between employer and employee."”

“It is firmly established that statements in an employer’s personnel manual may . . . under appropriate circumstances . . . give rise to an express or implied contract between employer and employee.”

ctd.uscourts.gov · ctd.uscourts.gov

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Connecticut does not let an at-will employee challenge a dismissal under the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing unless the discharge also violates an important public policy. (Honeck (D. Conn. 2005), quoting Carbone v. Atlantic Richfield Co., 204 Conn. 460 (1987) and Magnan v. Anaconda Industries, Inc., 193 Conn. 558 (1984); Zweig v. Marvelwood School, 203 Conn. App. 818 (2021), discussing Magnan v. Anaconda Industries, Inc., 193 Conn. 558 (1984) (Connecticut Law Journal, April 20, 2021))

“showing that the discharge involves an impropriety which contravenes some important public policy, an employee may not challenge a dismissal based upon an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.”

“the court rejected the proposition that the requirement of good faith and fair dealing be transformed into ‘‘an implied condition that an employee may be dismissed only for good cause’’ in an at-will employment relationship.”

ctd.uscourts.gov · jud.ct.gov

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Connecticut employers must give every separating employee, regardless of the reason for separation, the CTDOL Separation Packet with the completed Unemployment Notice at the time of separation; if that is not possible, the packet must be mailed to the employee's last known address. (CTDOL Separation Packet, Form UC-21A (Rev. 2/2024))

“It is your responsibility to give this entire packet to the separating employee at the time of separation, regardless of the reason for separation (see Section L below). If it is not possible to give this packet to the employee at the time of separation, then mail the packet to the employee’s last known address.”

“provide a Separation Packet to all separating employees regardless of the reason for separation.”

portal.ct.gov · portal.ct.gov

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