CT Paid Family & Medical Leave: Myths Debunked

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STATEMENT #1

This statement is false.

While CT PFML does provide income replacement for qualifying life events, the employee’s job is not protected under this new law.   Job protection may be provided under other leave laws. So, employers and employees may want to brush up on the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Connecticut’s Family & Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA) to see under what circumstances an employee’s job may be protected while out on CT’s new Paid Family & Medical Leave.

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STATEMENT #2

It’s a myth! This statement is false.

Private Plans are approved on a rolling basis all year long. In 2021, Employers will be exempt from making contributions to the state fund beginning with the quarter in which they obtain approval.

Make sure to start the process to apply for a private plan early to allow time for quoting, voting, and review by the CT Paid Leave Authority! Get a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a private plan here.

While the deadline to apply for an exemption in the First Quarter has passed, employers are still able to apply for a private plan throughout the rest of the year. However, the contributions already made to the State fund won’t be refunded.

Here’s the current information on private plan exemptions and CT State Fund contribution requirements:

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STATEMENT #3

Busted! This statement is false.

The majority (50%+1 vote) of all Connecticut workers at the company need to vote in favor of a private plan in order for it to be approved – not just of those who voted.

In this voting process, if an employee does not vote, it is for all intent and purpose considered a “no” vote since the tally will be the number of Yes votes as compared to the number of all Connecticut workers at the company. For example, if an employer has 20 employees, 14 participate in the vote with 8 employees voting “yes”, the company would not be able to implement the private plan. So, it’s crucial that employees understand how important it is to participate.

Keep in mind, there are several guidelines from State regulating the voting process, e.g. the vote needs to be anonymous, capable of being verified after the fact, and non-coercive. Paper ballots or online apps can be used to conduct the vote, and the CT Paid Leave Authority is encouraging the use of online voting platforms. For a full description of how to apply for a private plan, including details on the voting process and links to the official guidelines, please visit our page on how to apply for a private plan.

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STATEMENT #4

This statement is true!

Victims of family violence who need time off from work to attend to matters related to that violence qualify for leave under the Connecticut Paid Family & Medical Leave law. The law allows an eligible employee to use up to 12 days of the 12 weeks of leave provided for reasons related to family violence. At this time, Connecticut has the only program in the United States that provides PFML for reasons specifically related to family violence, but there are other states with Paid Sick Leave programs which provide up to 10-15 days for any reason whatsoever, including reasons related to family violence.