(a)(1) Subject to § 31-51mm, an eligible employee shall be entitled to a total of twelve workweeks of leave during any twelve-month period, such twelve-month period to be determined utilizing any one of the following methods: (A) A calendar year; (B) any fixed twelve-month period, such as a fiscal year or a twelve-month period measured forward from an employee’s first date of employment; (C) a twelve-month period measured forward from an employee’s first day of leave taken under sections 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive; or (D) a rolling twelve-month period measured backward from an employee’s first day of leave taken under sections 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive. Such employee may take up to two additional weeks of leave during such twelve-month period for a serious health condition resulting in incapacitation that occurs during a pregnancy.

Need help with an employment contract?
Have it reviewed by a lawyer, get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
Connect with a lawyer now

Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 31-51ll

  • another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.

(2) Leave under this subsection may be taken for one or more of the following reasons:

(A) Upon the birth of a son or daughter of the employee;

(B) Upon the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care;

(C) In order to care for a family member of the employee, if such family member has a serious health condition;

(D) Because of a serious health condition of the employee;

(E) In order to serve as an organ or bone marrow donor; or

(F) Because of any qualifying exigency, as determined in regulations adopted by the United States Secretary of Labor, arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty, in the armed forces, as defined in subsection (a) of § 27-103.

(b) Entitlement to leave under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section may accrue prior to the birth or placement of a son or daughter when such leave is required because of such impending birth or placement.

(c) (1) Leave under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section for the birth or placement of a son or daughter may not be taken by an employee intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule unless the employee and the employer agree otherwise. Subject to subdivision (2) of this subsection concerning an alternative position, subdivision (2) of subsection (f) of this section concerning the duties of the employee and subdivision (5) of subsection (b) of § 31-51mm concerning sufficient certification, leave under subparagraph (C) or (D) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) or under subsection (i) of this section for a serious health condition may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary. The taking of leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule pursuant to this subsection shall not result in a reduction of the total amount of leave to which the employee is entitled under subsection (a) of this section beyond the amount of leave actually taken.

(2) If an employee requests intermittent leave or leave on a reduced leave schedule under subparagraph (C), (D) or (E) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) or under subsection (i) of this section that is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment, the employer may require the employee to transfer temporarily to an available alternative position offered by the employer for which the employee is qualified and that (A) has equivalent pay and benefits, and (B) better accommodates recurring periods of leave than the regular employment position of the employee, provided the exercise of this authority shall not conflict with any provision of a collective bargaining agreement between such employer and a labor organization which is the collective bargaining representative of the unit of which the employee is a part.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, leave granted under subsection (a) of this section may consist of unpaid leave.

(e) (1) If an employer provides paid leave for fewer than twelve workweeks, the additional weeks of leave necessary to attain the twelve workweeks of leave required under sections 5-248a and 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive, may be provided without compensation or with compensation through the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program established in § 31-49g.

(2) (A) An eligible employee may elect, or an employer may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave or family leave of the employee for leave provided under subparagraph (A), (B) or (C) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section for any part of the twelve-week period of such leave under said subsection or under subsection (i) of this section for any part of the twenty-six-week period of such leave, provided such eligible employee may retain not less than two weeks of such leave.

(B) An eligible employee may elect, or an employer may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave of the employee for leave provided under subparagraph (C), (D) or (E) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section for any part of the twelve-week period of such leave under said subsection or under subsection (i) of this section for any part of the twenty-six-week period of leave, provided such eligible employee may retain not less than two weeks of such leave, except that nothing in § 5-248a or sections 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive, shall require an employer to provide paid sick leave or paid medical leave in any situation in which such employer would not normally provide any such paid leave.

(f) (1) In any case in which the necessity for leave under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section is foreseeable based on an expected birth or placement of a son or daughter, the employee shall provide the employer with not less than thirty days’ notice, before the date of the leave is to begin, of the employee’s intention to take leave under said subparagraph (A) or (B), except that if the date of the birth or placement of a son or daughter requires leave to begin in less than thirty days, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.

(2) In any case in which the necessity for leave under subparagraph (C), (D) or (E) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) or under subsection (i) of this section is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment, the employee (A) shall make a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the employer, subject to the approval of the health care provider of the employee or the health care provider of the family member of the employee, as appropriate; and (B) shall provide the employer with not less than thirty days’ notice, before the date the leave is to begin, of the employee’s intention to take leave under said subparagraph (C), (D) or (E) or said subsection (i), except that if the date of the treatment requires leave to begin in less than thirty days, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.

(g) In any case in which two spouses entitled to leave under subsection (a) of this section are employed by the same employer, the aggregate number of workweeks of leave to which both may be entitled may be limited to twelve workweeks during any twelve-month period, if such leave is taken: (1) Under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section; or (2) to care for a sick family member under subparagraph (C) of said subdivision. In any case in which two spouses entitled to leave under subsection (i) of this section are employed by the same employer, the aggregate number of workweeks of leave to which both may be entitled may be limited to twenty-six workweeks during any twelve-month period.

(h) Unpaid leave taken pursuant to sections 5-248a and 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive, shall not be construed to affect an employee’s qualification for exemption under chapter 558.

(i) Subject to § 31-51mm, an eligible employee who is the spouse, son or daughter, parent or next of kin of a current member of the armed forces, as defined in § 27-103, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status or is on the temporary disability retired list for a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty shall be entitled to a one-time benefit of twenty-six workweeks of leave during any twelve-month period for each armed forces member per serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty. Such twelve-month period shall commence on an employee’s first day of leave taken to care for a covered armed forces member and end on the date twelve months after such first day of leave. For the purposes of this subsection, (1) “next of kin” means the armed forces member’s nearest blood relative, other than the covered armed forces member’s spouse, parent, son or daughter, in the following order of priority: Blood relatives who have been granted legal custody of the armed forces member by court decree or statutory provisions, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and first cousins, unless the covered armed forces member has specifically designated in writing another blood relative as his or her nearest blood relative or any other individual whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family member for purposes of military caregiver leave, in which case the designated individual shall be deemed to be the covered armed forces member’s next of kin; and (2) “son or daughter” means a biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild, legal ward or child for whom the eligible employee or armed forces member stood in loco parentis and who is any age.

(j) Leave taken pursuant to sections 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive, shall not run concurrently with the provisions of § 31-313.

(k) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 5-248a and 31-51kk to 31-51qq, inclusive, all further rights granted by federal law shall remain in effect.