Connecticut has passed legislation expanding the eligibility for the Connecticut Family Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA) and Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance (CT Paid Leave) to include non-certified employees at K-12 schools, both public and nonpublic, and to school nurses without a Certified School Nurse Designation.
Here are some key aspects of this expansion:
The new law becomes effective on October 1, 2025
This includes employees whose positions do not require professional certification, such as bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria staff, and paraprofessionals
Non-certified employees can be eligible for CT FMLA if they have worked for their school or district for at least three months in the prior 12 months, which is a shorter requirement than the standard
These employees are considered covered for CT Paid Leave and can apply for benefits for covered conditions. Eligibility requires earning at least $2,325 in their highest earning quarter within the base period and being employed by a covered employer within the 12 weeks before their claim
CT Paid Leave provides income replacement and can run with CT and Federal FMLA, but it does not guarantee job protection
Schools covered by this law must register with the CT Paid Leave Authority and deduct and send the 0.5% contributions from eligible employee wages quarterly
School employees requiring professional certification, like public school teachers, are generally not covered by CT Paid Leave unless their union negotiates for their inclusion
This legislation provides non-certified school employees in Connecticut with access to both job-protected leave via CT FMLA and paid leave benefits through the CT Paid Leave program.
A series of webinars will be held from July-September for public and private schools to learn more about their responsibilities as newly covered employers and for their workers to understand their rights to CT Paid Leave and CT FMLA. You can find more information on those webinars in this link or in the graphic below!
