Big changes to paid sick leave are coming for Connecticut employers in 2025.
Connecticut’s current paid sick leave law was already groundbreaking when it passed in 2011, as it made Connecticut the first state to mandate paid sick leave. But its scope is relatively narrow, only covering around 12% of the state’s workforce at the time of its passage.
The current law applies to employers with 50 or more employees—but not every type of business is covered. The law primarily targets “service sector” jobs; specifically, employees in certain occupations like retail and hospitality. But it doesn’t cover seasonal workers or employers in manufacturing. Eligible employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, up to a total of 40 hours per year (about five days).
House Bill 5005 will significantly expand the state’s paid leave provisions.
HB 5005: What Employers Need to Know
Who’s Covered?
The bill is set to gradually lower the employee threshold required for businesses to provide paid sick days.
- January 1, 2025: Employers that employ 25 or more employees in the state
- January 1, 2026: Employers that employ 11 or more employees in the state
- January 1, 2027: Employers that employ at least 1 employee in the state
HB 5005 will also remove the service worker criteria. This means that by 2027, virtually all private-sector businesses will be required to provide paid sick leave—seasonal workers still remain largely exempt. Businesses that already offer at least 40 hours of paid time off are also exempt from this law.
How’s It Accrued?
Under the new law, employees will earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours they work, which is a faster accrual rate than the current system (1 hour for every 40 hours worked). The maximum they can earn is still 40 hours per year. If employees don’t use all their sick time, they can carry over up to 40 hours into the next year, but employers can cap the amount used within a single year.
To keep things simple, businesses can also choose to frontload the full 40 hours of paid sick time at the start of the year, so employees don’t have to wait to accrue it.
Creating a Safer, More Productive Workforce
House Bill 5005 is an important step for workers and public health in Connecticut. By expanding paid sick leave to cover nearly all employees by 2027, it ensures that workers no longer have to choose between earning a paycheck and taking care of their health. This is especially relevant in the post-pandemic era when the risks of spreading illnesses in the workplace have become clearer.
For employees, this law provides peace of mind. If you’re feeling unwell or need to care for a sick family member, you can do so without worrying about financial strain. It’s a crucial benefit for low-wage and part-time workers who often lack these protections and are most likely to face the tough choice between going to work sick or losing income.
For employers, it encourages healthier workplaces, which can reduce the overall spread of illness, leading to better productivity in the long run. Plus, businesses already offering sufficient paid time off are exempt, ensuring a reasonable balance.
This shift is not just about individual benefits—it’s about promoting a healthier, more compassionate workforce that’s better protected from the kind of public health challenges we’ve seen in recent years.
Connecticut Employers: Are Your Absence Management Processes Ready?
Connecticut employers preparing for changes to paid sick leave laws need to ensure their absence management processes are dynamic and modern. This is where Indeavor can make a big difference. With Indeavor’s workforce management solution, businesses can automate leave tracking and ensure compliance with local regulations like Connecticut’s paid sick leave accrual rules. The platform helps manage accruals, carryovers, and frontloading options while keeping everything transparent for both employers and employees.
Indeavor also supports real-time updates and centralized records, making it easy to monitor employee leave balances, usage, and eligibility. This means no more manual tracking or worrying about missing compliance deadlines—you’ll always have the tools you need to stay ahead of new regulations like House Bill 5005.
Sick leave and absence management are critical for maintaining both employee well-being and business continuity. When employees feel supported by having the flexibility to stay home when they’re sick without financial worry, it boosts morale, reduces stress, and improves overall health. This also benefits businesses by reducing the spread of illness in the workplace, leading to higher productivity and less disruption. A well-structured absence management process ensures that operations run smoothly, even during unexpected call-offs, while fostering a healthier, more engaged workforce.
Indeavor Call for Real-Time Sick Leave Management
When employees call out sick, Indeavor Call steps in to efficiently manage these absences, ensuring the right employees with the appropriate qualifications are contacted to fill in—without overburdening your management team.
By outsourcing the call-out process to Indeavor’s own workforce management experts, Indeavor Call helps reduce the operational strain caused by last-minute absences. Whether it’s through real-time notifications, 24/7 support, or seamless integration with your existing workforce management system, Indeavor ensures that businesses maintain operational continuity without scrambling to find replacements.
Plus, with the flexibility to handle absences year-round, Indeavor helps you navigate busy holiday seasons or unexpected illness spikes—making it the perfect tool to complement Connecticut’s expanded paid sick leave requirements.
