New Podcast Episode: Unpacking Connecticut’s Leave Law Maze

Season 4, Episode 2 breaks down what employers really need to know

In our latest From Lawyer to Employer podcast episode, I sat down with my colleague Sarah Niemiroski to tackle one of the most requested topics from our recent fall seminar at Hotel Marcel: Connecticut’s increasingly complex web of leave laws.

If you’re an HR professional or business leader trying to navigate federal FMLA, Connecticut FMLA, paid sick leave, Connecticut Paid Leave, and the ADA all at once, this episode is for you. We break down the key differences, explain how these laws overlap, and share practical strategies for staying compliant.

What We Cover

The episode starts with the basics: federal FMLA applies to employers with 50+ employees and requires 12 months of employment plus 1,250 hours worked. Connecticut FMLA? Much broader. It applies to all employers regardless of size, requires only three months of employment, and covers a much wider range of family relationships.

One highlight is our discussion of Connecticut’s “affinity relationship” provision. An employee can take leave to care for someone they view as family, even if there’s no legal or blood relationship. We talk about how employers can document these requests without being overly invasive.

We also tackle the coordination headaches. Most of the time, federal and Connecticut FMLA run concurrently, so employees aren’t stacking 12 weeks under each law. But there are exceptions. An employee caring for an affinity relationship member (covered by CT FMLA but not federal) could later need their own medical leave and get both pools. The key is consistent tracking and proper designation.

The episode also covers Connecticut’s statutory paid sick leave, which expanded to cover virtually all employees as of January 2025, and Connecticut Paid Leave, the state-run benefit program that employers need to notify employees about but don’t directly administer.

The Scenarios That Resonated

We spent considerable time on hypotheticals, including “Marcellus and his mental health leave” (yes, named after the octopus from Remarkably Bright Creatures). This scenario illustrated how intermittent leave, the ADA, and FMLA can all overlap and complicate the return-to-work process. Even when an employer might be skeptical about the frequency of absences, the laws provide for the leave, and compliance isn’t optional.

Key Takeaways

Sarah emphasized something critical: gather facts before making employment decisions. These leave laws are complicated, and if you have doubts, hit pause and consult legal counsel. Documentation is everything.

I’d add this: if you haven’t updated your policies in the last couple years, you’re overdue. Connecticut FMLA changed from 16 weeks over two years to 12 weeks over one year several years ago, and I still hear from employers who missed that change. The laws keep evolving, and your policies need to keep pace.

You can listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you have topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes, reach out at dschwartz@goodwin.com.