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CT Paid Leave program tops $1 billion in benefits, CEO says program has helped about 50,000 workers
Summary
Aaron Choquette, CEO of the CT Paid Leave Authority, told a television interview that the state program has paid over $1 billion in benefits in four years and has assisted nearly 50,000 Connecticut workers. He outlined who pays into the program, common uses of leave and recent expansions to cover survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
CT Paid Leave Authority CEO Aaron Choquette said the state's paid family and medical leave program has paid more than $1 billion in benefits in the four years since it began, and has helped nearly 50,000 Connecticut workers.
"It's absolutely making a difference in people's lives," Choquette said during a studio interview, describing steady annual growth and the program's role in providing income replacement when workers are sick or caring for family members.
Choquette said about 1.5 million Connecticut workers participate in the program through payroll contributions. "We pay in a half a percent of our payroll up to the Social Security max," he said, noting that most municipal and board of education employees and some sovereign nations are currently excluded from participation.
Choquette said roughly half of paid-leave claims are for workers with their own serious health conditions, including surgeries, cancer treatment and chronic conditions. Other claims are for adding a new child through birth, adoption or foster care, or to care for a sick family member. In October, the program expanded what it calls "safe leave," allowing people who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault to apply for benefits related to court appearances, relocation or victim services.
Choquette contrasted Connecticut's benefits with unpaid job protections. "Because we have FMLA, which protects the job, but it doesn't pay you," he said. The CT Paid Leave Authority provides income replacement that, Choquette said, can make the difference between paying and not paying bills for workers who need extended time off.
Choquette said the program grew 9% from 2023 to 2024 as more people learned about it. He described examples of caregiving, such as taking a relative to physical therapy, and said the program recognizes some extended family "affinity relationships" when those relatives have needs similar to a parent or grandparent.
For information and to apply, Choquette directed listeners to the program website at ctpaidleave.org or to call the program's claim administrator for assistance.
Choquette also noted that Connecticut is among about 14 states that have launched or enacted similar paid-leave programs.
The interview included on-air hosts who praised the program as a resource; one host called it "a really wonderful resource." No formal actions, votes or new regulations were adopted during the interview.
