Connecticut Paid Family Leave Contribution Rates 2026
Connecticut runs Connecticut Paid Leave (CTPL), funded by a payroll contribution of 0.5% of wages.
2026 rate card
- Total contribution rate
- 0.5%
- Employer share
- 0%
- No employer contribution
- Employee share
- 100%
- 0.5% of wages
- Wage cap
- $184,500
- Per employee, per year
- Maximum employee contribution
- $922.50
- Per employee, per year
- Small-employer relief
- None
- Every employer pays the full rate
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Connecticut Paid Leave Authority
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Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Who must contribute
- The Board voted to hold the contribution rate at 0.5% for 2026.
- Entirely employee-funded — there is no employer contribution.
- Withholding stops once an employee reaches the Social Security wage cap ($184,500 for 2026), giving a maximum annual contribution of $922.50.
- Applies to employers with one or more employees in Connecticut. There is no small-employer exemption.
- The weekly benefit is capped at 60× the Connecticut minimum wage — $1,016.40 as of 1 January 2026.
- Employers may apply to use an approved private plan.
What employees receive
- Maximum weekly benefit
- $1,016.40
- Maximum weeks
- 12 weeks
- Per benefit year, combined where programs stack
- Wage replacement
- Up to 95% of wages
Benefit amounts are what an employee on leave receives. They are set separately from the contribution rate and are usually re-published each year against the state average weekly wage — often on a different cycle to the premium.
Private plan option
Connecticut permits an employer to substitute an approved private or voluntary plan for the state plan. The plan must be at least as generous as the statutory one and must be approved by Connecticut Paid Leave Authority before it takes effect. If you run an approved private plan, the state premiums above do not apply — your carrier sets the cost instead. How to decide between the two.
Key dates
- 1 January
- New rates take effect. Update payroll before the first pay run of the year.
- Quarterly
- Wage reports and premium payments are due to Connecticut Paid Leave Authority, generally by the last day of the month following each quarter.
- Autumn
- Next year’s rate is announced. This page is re-checked against the agency in November and updated in December.
Common questions
What is the Connecticut paid family leave rate for 2026?
The Connecticut Connecticut Paid Leave contribution is 0.5% of wages for 2026. The employer pays 0% of that and the employee pays 100%.
How much does an employer pay for paid family leave in Connecticut?
Nothing. Connecticut funds its program entirely through employee payroll deductions. The employer's obligation is to withhold the contribution correctly and remit it on time, not to fund it.
Is there a wage cap on Connecticut paid leave contributions?
Yes. Only the first $184,500 of each employee's annual wages is subject to the premium in 2026. The cap applies per employee, so a high earner stops contributing partway through the year while everyone else keeps going. That works out to a maximum of $922.50 per employee per year.
Are small employers exempt from Connecticut paid family leave?
No. Connecticut has no small-employer exemption or reduced rate — an employer with one covered employee pays the same 0.5% as one with ten thousand.
What is the maximum Connecticut paid leave benefit?
Up to $1,016.40 a week, for up to 12 weeks in a benefit year. Wage replacement is up to 95% of wages, so lower earners replace a larger proportion of their pay than higher earners.
Can we use a private plan instead of the Connecticut state plan?
Yes. Connecticut Paid Leave Authority can approve a private or voluntary plan that is at least as generous as the state program. Once approved, you stop paying the state premium and pay your carrier instead. Approval is not automatic and it is not retroactive, so the state rate applies until the plan is in force.
Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Connecticut Paid Leave Authority
Maintained by Treesera Technologies, Payroll and compliance calculators. How these rates are sourced.
Employing in more than one state?
Connecticut is one of 14 jurisdictions with a paid leave premium, and no two use the same rate, split or cap. Calculate the combined cost in one place.
Calculate the combined cost