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Authority urges expansion of Connecticut Paid Leave to noncertified school staff; committee seeks job‑protection language
Summary
The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority urged the committee to expand the state's paid family and medical leave program to non‑certified public and private school employees, and asked that job‑protection under Connecticut FMLA be included; committee members raised adverse‑selection and implementation questions.
Erin Choquette, CEO of the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority, told the Labor and Public Employees Committee that SB 14‑27 would allow non‑certified school employees to participate in Connecticut Paid Leave — a worker‑funded income‑replacement program active since 2022. "Senate Bill 14 27 would enable non certified employees of public and private schools to participate in Connecticut paid leave, thus ensuring that these workers have a financial safety net when they need to take time away to care for themselves or their families," Choquette said.
Choquette said the program is funded by a payroll deduction and has paid more than $1 billion in benefits to over 145,000 workers since 2022. She recommended a statutory amendment so that employees covered by the expanded program would also receive job protection under the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act, noting that income replacement is insufficient if workers risk losing their jobs.
Representative Weir pressed for implementation details: would coverage be automatic or opt‑in? Choquette replied that the bill would automatically cover non‑certified employees (similar to the broader CT Paid Leave implementation) unless the employer maintains an eligible private plan that meets statutory criteria (alternative compliance). Choquette and Senator Kushner explained that the fund depends on a broad risk pool to prevent adverse selection — a central concern for insurance programs — and that the program is worker‑financed via a half‑percent payroll deduction rather than general fund appropriations.
Union and paraeducator witnesses supported expansion. Shelly Davis, president of the Hartford Federation of Paraeducators, said many paraeducators lack access to paid leave and urged the committee to ensure job protection so staff can take time off for their own or family medical needs without financial ruin.
The committee discussed a clean statutory definition of who is included (the bill's use of the term "noncertified" may need a clearer bright line versus "professional license" exclusions) and whether the program should explicitly incorporate Connecticut FMLA job‑protection language. Choquette and members committed to drafting substitute language addressing those items before the bill moves.
Ending: The authority urged expansion with substitute language to add job protection. Committee members asked for precise definitions and cautioned about adverse selection, but several members indicated support for a robust, job‑protected expansion.
