On May 9, 2024, Connecticut enacted Public Act 24-5, which expands the circumstances under which employees can receive benefits under Connecticut’s Paid Leave Insurance Program. The Connecticut Paid Leave Insurance Program provides wage replacement benefits to employees who require leave from work for certain covered reasons, with employees contributing to the trust for the program through a regular payroll deduction. Under Public Act 24-5, the covered reasons for receiving benefits under the program has been expanded to include leave benefits for victims of sexual assault. Previously, the program provided paid leave benefits to employees who take leave covered by the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act and to employees who are victims of family violence. Effective October 1, 2024, Public Act 24-5 amends the General Statutes to permit employees who are victims of sexual assault to take leave from work for covered reasons and to receive paid benefits during that leave under the Connecticut Paid Leave statute.

The Act also amended the Connecticut Paid Leave statute to permit employees to receive benefits concurrently with compensation received from the victim compensation program administered by the Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Department, provided the total compensation received by the covered employee during the covered employee’s period of leave shall not exceed such covered employee’s regular rate of compensation.