Connecticut marks three years of paid family and medical leave as benefits near $1 billion

Connecticut officials and advocates gathered on Pratt Street in Hartford to mark the third anniversary of the state's paid family and medical leave program and to note the program has paid nearly $1 billion in benefits and is on track to reach $1 billion by December.

Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz said the milestone shows the program's "very broad reach in just a few years and its vital importance to our workforce," noting the program started on Jan. 1, 2021 and that, "since the beginning ... the program has paid out over $990,000,000 in benefits across the state to 40,000 Connecticut employees."

The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority's chief executive, Erin Choquette, said the authority began paying benefits in January 2022 and described continued growth in use: "We have approved over a 90,000 claims, helping approximately 140,000 unique individuals who needed just a little time away from work to recover from a serious illness, care for a sick family member, welcome a new child into their family..." Choquette…