What employers in Connecticut must do
Checked November 9, 2026From the agencies that run each program
Short answer
Employers in Connecticut must pay at least $16.94 an hour, rising to $17.48 on January 1, 2027.
Connecticut runs a paid leave program, CT Paid Leave, funded by a premium of 0.5% of wages in 2026.
Connecticut employers covered by MyCTSavings that don’t offer a qualified retirement plan must register by their deadline.
The next employer deadline in Connecticut is December 31, 2026: Fourth-quarter 2026 contributions and wage report due.
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Connecticut requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | In effect | $16.94 an hour; $17.48 from January 1, 2027 |
| Retirement mandate: MyCTSavings | In effect | Employers (for-profit or nonprofit) that had 5 or more employees in Connecticut on October 1 of the prior year, at least 5 of whom were paid $5,000 or more in taxable wages that year, that existed for all of the current and prior calendar years, and that don’t offer a qualified retirement plan. Covered employees are 19 or older and have worked for the employer at least 120 days. Since July 1, 2026, people who receive state-funded personal care attendant services also count as employers for their attendants. |
| Paid leave: CT Paid Leave | In effect | Almost every business with one or more employees working in Connecticut. Not covered: the federal government, railroads, other states’ governments, tribes without an agreement with the Governor, and municipalities unless their unionized employees bargain to join. The State of Connecticut is covered for its non-unionized workforce. School staff in positions that don’t require state certification, at public and nonpublic schools, have been covered since October 1, 2025. Sole proprietors and self-employed people can opt in. |
Pay rules Connecticut employers must follow
- Paydays
- Weekly or every two weeks, on regular paydays set in advance. The Labor Commissioner can approve less frequent pay, but at least monthly.
- Final paycheck, fired
- By the next business day after the discharge.
- Final paycheck, quit
- By the next regular payday.
- Meal breaks
- 30-minute meal break for anyone working 7.5 hours or more in a row, taken after the first 2 hours and before the last 2.
- Rest breaks
- No state requirement for adults.
- Overtime
- Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. Restaurants and hotel restaurants also owe time and a half the minimum wage for a 7th day in a row.
- New hire reporting
- Within 14 days of the first day of paid work (20 days if reporting by mail or fax), to the Connecticut Department of Labor. Independent contractors whose services are valued at $5,000 or more in any 12-month period must also be reported.
From the Connecticut Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 8, 2026.
Upcoming Connecticut deadlines
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Fourth-quarter 2026 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by January 31, 2027.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Connecticut’s minimum wage rises to $17.48
The CT Paid Leave weekly benefit cap is 60 times the minimum wage and the 95% replacement band covers wages up to 40 times the minimum wage, so the formula works out to a $1,048.80 cap and a 95% band on the first $699.20 of weekly wages. These two amounts are computed from the formula, not published by the CT Paid Leave Authority.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: First-quarter 2027 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by April 30.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Second-quarter 2027 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by July 31.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Third-quarter 2027 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by October 31.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Date set in law for the CT Paid Leave Authority to announce any change to the contribution rate for 2028
The rate cannot exceed 0.5%.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Fourth-quarter 2027 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by January 31, 2028.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: First-quarter 2028 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by April 30.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Second-quarter 2028 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by July 31.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Third-quarter 2028 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by October 31.
· Paid leave
CT Paid Leave: Fourth-quarter 2028 contributions and wage report due
No penalty or interest if received by January 31, 2029.
Deadline calendar for every state · How to hire your first employee · Employer law changes for 2027 · All states
Sources
- Connecticut Department of Labor, Wage and Workplace Standards Division
- Connecticut Office of the State Comptroller
- Connecticut Paid Leave Authority
- State Payday Requirements (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- State Minimum Wage Laws, including premium (overtime) pay after designated hours (updated November 5, 2026), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 558 (Sec. 31-71b paydays, Sec. 31-71c final pay), Connecticut General Assembly (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 557 (Sec. 31-51ii meal periods), Connecticut General Assembly (read Nov 8, 2026)
- New Hire Reporting, Connecticut Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Wage Payment Laws (form DOL-74, Rev. 12/23), Connecticut Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Wage and Hour: Minimum Wage and Overtime, Connecticut Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Restaurant and hotel restaurant minimum wage order (form DOL-79, Rev. 1/26), Connecticut Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)