Connecticut Paid Leave is the state-administered program that provides partial income replacement benefits to Connecticut workers when they need to take time off for a qualifying health or family reason. These reasons include recovering from your own serious health condition, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, bonding with a new child, specific reasons related to family violence or sexual assault, and certain circumstances affecting military families.

Applying for Connecticut Paid Leave is simple. An application can be started online at ctpaidleave.org or by calling 877-499-8606. When you start an application, you’ll need to complete an intake, in which you will specify details such as your reason for the leave and the anticipated dates of the leave. This intake is the first step in the application process.

Once your intake is complete, you will receive a Notice of Application providing you with further instructions on how to complete your application, which includes providing additional documents to us. CT Paid Leave requires three types of documents for every claim. These are identity verification, employment verification, and documents to support your leave reason.

Identity Verification

Applicants most commonly supply a color copy of the front and back of their driver’s license or state issued ID; however, there are numerous other kinds of verification that CT Paid Leave will accept.

Employment Verification

This is a short form that you will give to your employer to complete. The employer can either give it back to you to return, or they can send it directly using the email or fax number listed on the form.

Documents to Support Your Leave Reason

The specific documentation required will depend on your reason for the leave. For example, if the reason is for your own serious health condition, we will provide a Certification for a Serious Health Condition Form. You will give that to your healthcare provider to complete.

On your Notice of Application, a due date will be specified for these documents. If you need more time to get your documents in, simply call or message your case manager through the portal to request an extension. If you are having trouble getting your employer or healthcare provider to complete the paperwork, let us know, so that we can help.

Once all these documents are received, a decision will be made on your claim within five business days.

You can check the status of your documents anytime on the Document Dashboard in the online portal. Even if you complete your intake over the phone, you should still set up your online portal so that you can monitor your case. All important notices and documents will be located in the portal.

You should start your application thirty days before any planned leave and as soon as possible, but no later than 45 days after, any unplanned or emergency leave. If you would like to preview the documents you’ll be required to submit based on your leave reason, please visit ctpaidleave.org and visit the Application Document Checklist page.

Jessica Vargas, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at CT Paid Leave, wrote this article.