Connecticut Independent Schools: Major Leave Law Changes Ahead

My colleagues at Shipman & Goodwin and I have published an expanded analysis on our CT School Law blog covering significant changes coming to Connecticut’s leave laws that will impact independent schools this fall. The post, “Connecticut Independent Schools Face Major Leave Law Changes This Fall,” provides essential guidance that every independent school administrator should read immediately.

What’s Changing

The article expands on a prior post that we did and explains how Public Act 25-174 will extend Connecticut’s Family Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA) and Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave (CT Paid Leave) to all non-certified school employees starting October 1, 2025. As we note, this represents a dramatic shift for independent schools, which have been largely exempt from these requirements until now.

The post does an excellent job of breaking down the complexity of managing two separate but related programs—one providing job protection and another providing wage replacement—and explains how schools will need to coordinate these with existing federal FMLA requirements.

Why This Matters for Independent Schools

What makes this analysis particularly important is recognizing the unique nature of independent schools from many other employers, particularly in the education field. Independent schools, for example, “operate with minimal unionization and don’t typically require professional certification for most positions,” meaning virtually all employees will become eligible for these benefits.

The article provides practical guidance on immediate compliance steps, including registration with the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority, payroll system updates, and policy revisions. We also address complex questions about coordinating these programs with existing PTO policies and managing the interaction between state and federal leave requirements.

The article also provides specific guidance on training requirements, employee communication strategies, and the financial implications of the new 0.5% payroll tax that schools must collect and remit quarterly.

My thanks to my colleagues for their collaboration on pulling this together. Stay tuned for a webinar on the subject too for more information.