(Written by Robert Schroeder and Taylor LaPira)

On October 1, 2026, a number of legislative changes will come into effect. Several changes will increase employee rights impacting the way employers navigate wage transparency, reasonable accommodation, understanding pay codes, expanded rights for lactation, employee surveillance and workers' compensation for health care providers and teachers. Additionally, the Connecticut Department of Labor will be designing a centralized hub of information for employers and employees, increasing access to resources and opportunities for development.

PA 26-12 – An Act Concerning Workforce Development and Working Conditions in the State

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/ACT/PA/PDF/2026PA-00012-R00HB-05003-PA.PDF

Wage Transparency: On May 11, 2026, Governor Ned Lamont signed legislation expanding Connecticut General Statute 31-40z, which acts as Connecticut's Pay Transparency and Wage Protection law, enacted in 2015. The new legislation is effective on October 1, 2026. The amendment expands the law, requiring all employers to include a position's wage or wage range, as well as a general description of the position's benefits, in its public and internal job advertisements (not just upon request or in an offer of employment). When determining the wage range, employers must set the range in good faith, not the range the employer anticipates relying on. Employers will need to ensure that all job postings beginning on October 1, 2026, comply with the new law. Under these amendments, employers with one or more employees (even out of state employees who report to Connecticut employers) are covered. 

Pay codes:  Employers with over 100 employees (including political subdivisions) must create a guide for pay codes for overtime and employer's most commonly used pay differentials (i.e. shift differentials, on-call pay, hazard pay, call-back pay, holiday or weekend pay or geographical pay differentials) used by the employer in such records. Each such guide shall, if applicable, include not less than ten pay codes and be posted on the employer's Internet web site in English, Spanish and the other most common languages spoken by employees of the employer and include contact information of the designated office or individual who will handle employee disputes regarding calculations of hours and pay differentials. An employer shall update such guide each time a new pay code used for overtime or any pay differentials is added by the employer.  The employer shall provide the Internet web site address to such guide required to an employee upon hire and include the Internet web site address to such guide on each record of hours furnished to an employee (if the employer utilizes an internet web site).  An employer may comply with the provisions of this subdivision by providing a written copy of such guide to an employee upon hire in English and the primary language of such employee. An employer shall be deemed in compliance with the provisions if such employer uses a third-party payroll services company that provides a guide for the pay codes.

Written Notice Explaining Right to Reasonable Accommodation:  An employer shall provide written notice of an employee's right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace for a disability pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, 42 USC 12101, to: (1) New employees at the commencement of employment; (2) existing employees within one hundred twenty days of October 1, 2026; and (3) any employee who notifies the employer of such employee's disability within ten days of such notification. An employer may comply with the provisions by displaying the poster created by the Labor Commissioner for purposes of this section in a conspicuous place, accessible to employees, at the employer's place of business.

Expanded Rights to Lactation:  Employer shall provide reasonable breaktimes for an employee to express breast milk for the employee's nursing child or breastfeed on site at employee's workplace in addition to such employee's scheduled breaks. 

Workers' Compensation Increased Benefits for Healthcare and Teachers: On May 11, 2026, Governor Ned Lamont signed legislation enhancing the workers' compensation benefits for certain teachers, health care providers, and related employees who are physically or negligently assaulted in the line of duty. The new legislation is effective on October 1, 2026. The amendment allows these teachers, health care providers, and employees to receive a workers' compensation benefit that equals 100% of their average weekly earnings if the injury causes them to be unable to work, totally or partially. There is no cap to their workers' compensation benefit amount. These teachers, health care providers, and employees are also eligible to receive expenses reasonably incurred for medical treatment or other services needed in connection with the assault and any lost wages due to an absence for a court appearance in relation to the assault.

Currently, the law generally covers compensation for employees who are totally incapacitated to work under Connecticut workers' compensation laws. There is no distinction between employees and thus those who are assaulted; thus providing weekly compensation equal to seventy-five percent of the injured employee's average weekly earnings as of the date of the injury to each employee whose injury results in a total incapacity to work.

The amendment covers an individual directly or indirectly employed by, or volunteering for, a health care facility or institution. These individuals must be involved in direct patient care or have direct contact with the patient or patient's family when either collecting or processing patient information and records or escorting or directing the patient or their family on the health care employer's premises.

The amendment covers any member of a board of education, the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents of Higher Education, or the Board of Trustees for the University of Connecticut. The amendment also covers any teacher or other employee employed by such boards. This includes any student completing a student teaching experience under the direction of a teacher employed by a local or regional board of education or by the State Board of Education or Board of Governors or Higher Education. It also includes any member of the faculty or staff or any student employment by The University of Connecticut Health Center or health services.

Injuries that cause total incapacity and allow compensation to be paid include:

(1) Total and permanent loss of sight of both eyes, or the reduction to one-tenth or less of normal vision;

(2) the loss of both feet at or above the ankle;

(3) the loss of both hands at or above the wrist;

(4) the loss of one foot at or above the ankle and one hand at or above the wrist;

(5) any injury resulting in permanent and complete paralysis of the legs or arms or of one leg and one arm; and

(6) any injury resulting in incurable imbecility or mental illness.

PA 26-73:  An Act Concerning Electronic Surveillance of Employee

This act addresses expanded notice requirements for employee surveillance and applies to any person, firm, corporation, state, or political subdivision of the state which has employees. Moreover, the Act defines electronic monitoring as “the collection of information on an employer's premises concerning employees' activities or communications by any means other than direct observation, including the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio, camera, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical system.”

Pursuant to Public Act 26-73's revisions, any employer that uses electronic monitoring in the workplace must provide notice to all employees of: (1) the type(s) of electronic monitoring they are engaging in; and (2) the specific location on the employer's premise where the monitoring is occurring. Locations exempt from this disclosure include: (1) airports; and (2) when an employee has reasonable grounds to conduct such monitoring for security and employee safety purposes.

This notice must be placed in a conspicuous place that is readily available for viewing by all the employees and in the specific location(s) where monitoring may occur.

Additionally, all employees hired after October 1, 2026, must be provided with a statement, in plain language, advising the employee of the activities that are prohibited and may be monitored in the workplace, except when the activity includes: (1) conduct that violates the law; (2) conduct that violates the legal rights of the employer; and (3)  conduct that creates a hostile work environment.

Moreover, the statute explicitly states that “the provisions of this section shall not apply to a criminal investigation;” and any information that is obtained through the use of electronic monitoring during a criminal investigation can be used in a disciplinary proceeding against an employee.

If the notice requirements are violated then the following civil penalties apply: (1) first offense: Maximum Civil Penalty of $500.00; (2) second offense: Maximum Civil Penalty of $1,000.00; and (3) third offense and Each Subsequent offense: Maximum Penalty of $3,000.00.

PA 26-145 – An Act Concerning Centralization of Workforce Development Information 

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/ACT/PA/PDF/2026PA-00145-R00HB-05491-PA.PDF

On June 4, 2026, Governor Ned Lamont signed a new piece of legislation that requires the Labor Commissioner of Connecticut to create a centralized webpage on the Department of Labor's website with information, resources, and materials on workforce development organizations and opportunities. This webpage will have links to external sources of information, resources, and materials on:

1. Job training, career counseling, and workforce development organizations and opportunities;

2. Regional sector partnerships; and

3. Other topics related to workforce development.

The Act required the website to be created by January 1, 2027, and to be updated semi-annually. The Act will become effective on October 1, 2026.

For more questions about this legal alert, the Connecticut Pay Transparency and Wage Protection Laws or the Connecticut Workers' Compensation Laws, please contact Robin B. Kallor or the attorney with whom you already work.