Small Changes, Real Impact: Connecticut & New Hampshire Leave Updates for 2026

Connecticut already has a Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program in place. That program covers longer absences for serious health conditions, caregiving, and bonding with a new child.

What’s changing now is paid sick leave — the shorter, everyday kind of leave people use when they’re sick, need preventive care, or need to care for a family member.

What’s expanding

Connecticut’s paid sick leave law has existed for years, but it only applied to certain employers. That’s changing in stages:

• As of January 1, 2025
  Employers with 25 or more employees are required to provide paid sick leave.

• Starting January 1, 2026
  The requirement expands again to employers with 11 or more employees.

• By January 1, 2027
  Nearly all employers will be covered, with limited exceptions.

How paid sick leave works

Under Connecticut’s law:

• Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked

• Accrual is capped at 40 hours per year

• Sick time can be used for:

  • Your own illness or preventive care

  • Caring for a family member

  • Certain safety-related reasons

Why this matters

For many workers, paid sick leave is the difference between:

• Going to work sick

• Skipping medical appointments

• Or losing income to take care of themselves or their family

This expansion means more people can take short-term time off without risking their paycheck — and without needing to rely on longer leave programs meant for serious or extended situations.

New Hampshire: A New, Narrow Leave Protection (Not Paid Leave)

New Hampshire does not have a broad paid family leave program like Connecticut or Minnesota. That hasn’t changed.

What has changed is the introduction of a new, limited job-protected leave law, effective January 1, 2026.

What the new law does

Employers with 20 or more employees will be required to provide up to:

• 25 hours of unpaid, job-protected leave

This leave is specifically for:

• Childbirth-related medical appointments

• Postpartum medical care

• Pediatric medical appointments

The law applies during the first year after a child’s birth or adoption.

Important details

• This leave is unpaid

• Employees may use accrued PTO or vacation if they choose

• If both parents work for the same employer, the 25 hours is shared between them

• This is not a general sick leave law or paid family leave program

Why this still matters

Even though the leave is unpaid, it provides something many workers don’t currently have: job protection.

That means employees can attend critical medical appointments during a child’s first year without fear of losing their job — especially important for families navigating postpartum care, infant health needs, or complicated recoveries.

The Bigger Picture

These updates don’t replace existing programs — they fill gaps.

• Connecticut’s expansion strengthens access to short-term, everyday sick time

• New Hampshire’s law creates targeted job protection where none existed before

They’re reminders that leave laws aren’t just about long absences — they’re also about the small, necessary moments that keep people healthy, employed, and supported.

As always, the details matter:

• Employer size

• Timing

• Whether leave is paid or unpaid

• How it coordinates with other benefits

Understanding those pieces ahead of time can make a real difference — especially for people managing health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, or family transitions.