Paid leave board authorizes public posting of consolidated policy revisions

The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority board on May 14 authorized staff to post proposed redlined revisions to its consolidated policies for public notice and comment.

Policy lead Michael (presenting the redlines) described three groups of changes: minor editorial and statutory‑construction edits; clarifying language that explains existing practice (for example, that eligibility and benefit calculations are set by the claim's first paid‑leave date); and modest process changes such as accepting additional forms for bonding leave, the ability to request updated documentation for foster‑care placements, and narrowing the 'good cause' standard for late filings to cases where an applicant received inaccurate information from an authoritative source. "We changed this to be a little more narrow and that you're given inaccurate information about our program from a source that should have been providing you good information," Michael said.

Board members pressed staff on the scope of 'good cause.' Molly Weston Williamson recommended retaining both lack of awareness and inaccurate information as separate factors to consider; Michael and other staff said the intent was to focus on demonstrable misinformation from an authoritative source (including employers) and that they will solicit public comment. A drafting mistake that had changed a mandatory "shall" to a discretionary "may" for a waiver for self‑employed individuals was acknowledged by staff and will be corrected before posting.

The board voted to authorize posting the revisions in the Connecticut Law Journal for public comment. Staff said they will finalize edits, return corrected language where necessary, and post with an expected comment period as provided by the authority's plan of operations.

The board also received outreach and healthcare‑provider engagement updates and briefly discussed committee schedules before adjourning.