CT Paid Leave outreach team reports broad 2025 engagement, proposes employer leave‑management conference

Jessica, director of outreach for the CT Paid Leave Authority, told the committee the program expanded its outreach in 2025 and is proposing a one‑day leave‑management conference for employers and human resources professionals.

“We attended 68 in person events over the course of the year,” Jessica said, and listed other metrics: 29 webinars, 21 press releases, 24 podcast episodes and nearly 970,000 website users with more than 11.5 million page views in 2025. She said the authority has grown its email database to about 179,000 subscribers and plans targeted employer onboarding and monthly webinars for new businesses starting in February.

On a staff proposal for a Sept. 16, 2026 conference in Cromwell, Jessica said the venue estimate — including rental, AV and food service — is just over $6,000 for a space that can hold about 150 attendees. “Our goals for this event, first and foremost, [are] education,” she said, adding that proposed sessions would cover paid leave, FMLA and other related laws, practical compliance strategies, and return‑to‑work practices.

Committee members supported pursuing continuing‑education credits to boost attendance. Adrienne Cochran suggested legal and practical sessions to clarify the overlap between paid leave and FMLA; another member recommended seeking SHRM credits and exploring New York CLE qualification to attract attorneys who practice in multiple states. Staff said they will refine the budget, pursue credit approvals, consider modest registration fees if credits are granted, and present the proposal to the full board in February.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the conference at this meeting; staff will return with cost details and any proposed registration plan.