Not yet, but maybe soon.

The Labor and Public Employees Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly is currently considering a Senate Bill 221 “An Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave.”

The committee held a public hearing on Tuesday March 8, 2016 and many public officials, including Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, organizations and members of the public attended and testified in regard to this bill.

Attorney Deborah McKenna of The Hayber Law firm offered testimony on behalf of the Connecticut Employment Attorneys Association in support of this bill.

If passed, this bill would create a fund to provide up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to all employees in Connecticut who work for employers with two or more employees.

The bill would cap the amount of the paid leave at $1,000 per week and payments would be determined based upon an employee’s salary. The fund would be solely funded by a less than one percent contribution by all employees. Right now, there is NO requirement that an employer provide a paid family or medical leave to an employee in Connecticut.

In addition to providing employees with an opportunity to take paid leave, this bill would also expand the protections of our existingFamily and Medical Leave Act.