By: HUB's Absence Management Team

Overview

On May 15, 2025, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 7288 into law expanding Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (CT FMLA) and CT Paid Leave eligibility to non-certified school employees. This expansion takes effect on October 1, 2025. This update outlines the expansion's impact on affected educational institutions and provides guidance for compliance.

Key Changes to Connecticut Fmla and Paid Leave

Expanded Employee Eligibility

Current law: Some non-certified school employees may be excluded from CT FMLA and CT Paid Leave benefits if these benefits were not included in their collective bargaining agreements.

Amended law: HB 7288 specifically expands eligibility to:

  • Non-certified employees in public elementary and secondary schools
  • Non-certified employees in nonpublic elementary and secondary schools
  • Coverage applies regardless of whether these benefits were included in collective bargaining agreements

Affected Employee Categories

Newly covered employees may include:

  • Paraprofessionals and teacher assistants
  • Administrative support staff
  • Custodial and maintenance personnel
  • Food service workers
  • Transportation staff
  • School nurses and health aides (who are not certified)
  • Security personnel
  • Information technology staff
  • Other non-teaching, non-certified positions

Benefit Structure (Remains Unchanged)

The expansion applies existing CT FMLA and CT Paid Leave provisions to newly eligible employees:

  • Up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in a 12-month period
  • Additional 2 weeks for serious health condition resulting in incapacitation during pregnancy
  • Paid leave benefits up to 12 times the state's minimum wage
  • Leave for qualifying family and medical reasons
  • Health insurance continuation during leave

Implementation Timeline

Effective date: October 1, 2025

  • No phased implementation – all eligible non-certified school employees gain coverage simultaneously
  • Schools must be fully compliant by this date
  • No retroactive application to leaves beginning before October 1, 2025

Next Steps for Educational Employers

Recommended Actions

  • Identify Affected Employees: Catalog all non-certified school employees who will become eligible
  • Review Collective Bargaining Agreements: Identify any conflicts or necessary adjustments to align with the new requirements
  • Budget Planning: Anticipate potential additional costs related to:
    • Temporary staffing needs
    • Continued health insurance coverage
    • Administrative costs for managing leave

Pre-Implementation Activities (By September 30, 2025)

  • Update Written Policies: Revise employee handbooks and leave policies to include newly covered employees
  • Train HR Personnel: Ensure your HR team understands:
    • Which school employees are now covered
    • How to properly administer CT FMLA and CT Paid Leave for these employees
    • Required notice procedures
  • Develop Communication Strategy: Create a plan to inform newly eligible employees about their rights
  • Review Recordkeeping Systems: Ensure systems can track and manage leave for the additional employee groups

Post-Implementation Activities (October 1, 2025 onward)

  • Distribute Updated Policies: Provide all newly eligible employees with information about their CT FMLA and CT Paid Leave rights
  • Post Workplace Notices: Display required notices about CT FMLA and CT Paid Leave rights in appropriate locations
  • Monitor Compliance: Conduct regular audits of your leave administration processes
  • Document Everything: Maintain thorough records of all notices provided to employees and leave taken
  • Stay Informed: Watch for regulatory guidance or clarifications from the Connecticut Department of Labor

Additional Considerations

  • This expansion affects both public and private educational institutions in Connecticut
  • Schools with existing collective bargaining agreements will need to reconcile those agreements with these new statutory requirements
  • Smaller private schools may be administering CT FMLA for the first time for certain employee groups
  • Schools should coordinate this expansion with existing leave policies and practices

Additional Resources

For more information regarding Connecticut's FMLA and Paid Leave programs and HB 7288, visit:

If you have any questions, please contact your HUB Advisor. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as more information becomes available. View more Workforce Absence Management updates in our WAM Bulletins page.

NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER
Neither Hub International Limited nor any of its affiliated companies is a law or accounting firm, and therefore they cannot provide legal or tax advice. The information herein is provided for general information only and is not intended to constitute legal or tax advice as to an organization’s specific circumstances. You should consult an attorney, accountant, or other legal or tax professional regarding the application of the general information provided here to your organization’s specific situation in light of your organization’s particular needs.