(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law Public Act 26-12 – a comprehensive, omnibus bill approved by the Connecticut General Assembly this session with overwhelming, bipartisan support and developed with the assistance of his administration containing several provisions aimed at protecting and enhancing workers’ rights.
Among its provisions, the bill addresses wage theft in the building trades; job protections for services workers; compensation for workers who are assaulted on the job, including nurses and teachers; and requires employers to disclose position wage ranges and general benefit descriptions in job postings.
“I am proud that Connecticut is a state that stands by its workforce to defend workers against labor violations and ensure that they are treated fairly, and this legislation extends those protections to include a number of commonsense safeguards on behalf of those who keep our state and our economy running,” Governor Lamont said. “I particularly want to thank Senate President Martin Looney and House Speaker Matt Ritter, as well as the Labor Committee co-chairs, Senator Julie Kushner and Representative Manny Sanchez, for their leadership in working with our administration to develop this bill and advance it through the legislature so that I could sign it into law today.”
Public Act 26-12 contains 75 sections of new laws, including:
- Enhanced workers’ compensation for assaulted workers: Teachers, health care providers, and related employees who cannot work due to an on-the-job assault will now receive 100% of their average weekly earnings (versus the standard 75% after-tax cap), plus medical expenses and lost wages for court appearances.
- Construction contractor and subcontractor joint liability for unpaid wages: For construction contracts executed on or after January 1, 2027, general contractors are jointly and severally liable for wages that their subcontractor fails to pay its workers.
- Retention of service contract workers: Entities taking over service contracts at covered locations (multifamily housing with more than 50 units, commercial centers over 75,000 square feet, airports, schools, hospitals, warehouses, private colleges, and others) must retain the prior contractor’s employees for at least 90 days. After 90 days, satisfactory performers must receive an offer of continued employment.
- Teacher termination process: The bill creates a fair termination process with a binding decision from an impartial hearing officer, offering the same protections provided to other public service workers, such as police officers and firefighters.
- Breastfeeding/expressing milk: Requires employers to provide reasonable break time for breastfeeding or pumping, in addition to scheduled breaks (current law only permits use of existing meal/break time).
- Wage range and benefits disclosure: The bill expands existing pay transparency laws to require employers to include both a wage range and a general benefits description (such as health insurance, retirement, fringe, paid leave, or other compensation) in all public and internal job postings.
Since taking office in 2019, Governor Lamont has enacted a number of new initiatives to strengthen workers’ rights, including:
- Establishment of a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program. (2019)
- Raising the minimum wage and requiring it to be automatically adjusted each year in connection with economic indicators. (2019)
- Creating the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy. (2020)
- Reforming the unemployment system. (2021)
- Enacting the CROWN Act, making it illegal to discriminate based on a person’s hair texture or protective hairstyle in employment, public accommodations, housing, credit practices, union membership, and state agency practices. (2021)
- Modifying occupational licensing laws to make it easier for health care professionals, various tradespeople, and other professionals licensed in other states to obtain a Connecticut credential upon relocating to the state. (2021)
- Enacting captive audience meetings laws, prohibiting employers from coercing any employee into attending or participating in a meeting sponsored by the employer concerning the employer’s views on political or religious matters. (2022)
- Expanding eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits for PTSI to cover all employees covered by the workers’ compensation law. (2023)
- Expanding Paid Sick Leave laws, covering nearly all private sector employees. (2024)
- Warehouse worker protections. (2026)