CT Paid Leave and CT FMLA are two different laws. CT Paid Leave provides partial income replacement for time away from work, while CT FMLA provides job-protected leave, meaning that the employer must return the worker to their same job when they return from leave. Both CT Paid Leave and CT FMLA are available for up to 12 weeks for most qualifying reasons.

CT FMLA is administered by employers. When a worker tells their employer that they need to take time off for a qualifying reason, the employer should let the worker know what specific documentation they would like the worker to provide to support their request. These documents differ from what CT Paid Leave will ask for when a worker begins applying for CT Paid Leave benefits.

CT Paid Leave required documentation falls into three categories – identity verification, employment verification, and documents supporting the specific leave reason.  Examples of acceptable identity verification include a driver’s license or state-issued ID, passport, passport card, permanent resident card, or valid foreign government-issued form of identification. This is not an exhaustive list – there are other documents that can also be provided as acceptable forms of identification.

The second category is employment verification. CT Paid Leave uses a standard Employment Verification Form, which is provided to the worker when they begin the application. The worker should then give this form to the employer to complete on their behalf. The questions on the form are related to the worker’s typical schedule, any planned company shutdowns that will happen during the leave, and any employer-provided income replacement benefits, like use of paid time off or short-term disability. It is important that if the worker currently works for more than one employer, or if they did so within the 12 weeks prior to the first date of leave, they have each employer fill out an Employment Verification Form. This is true even if the individual is not taking leave from all employers or if they are no longer employed but were within the 12 weeks preceding the leave.

The third category includes documents that support the specific reason for leaving. For example, a worker taking leave for their own serious health condition will need to provide a form called the Certification of a Serious Health Condition Form, which the healthcare provider will complete. A worker who is applying for bonding leave to be with a new child will need to provide a copy of the hospital discharge paperwork and a Bonding Statement Form.

Once CT Paid Leave receives these three categories of documentation, a claim decision can be made. The documents should be returned by the due date provided; however, an extension can be provided if needed.

For more information on specific documents required by leave type, visit the Application Document Checklist page at ctpaidleave.org.

This article was written by Jessica Vargas, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at CT Paid Leave.