What benefits can servers get in Connecticut?

ConnecticutVerified September 23, 2026

The short answer

Paid leave that favors low earners, and free coverage above Medicaid. CT Paid Leave pays up to 12 weeks, and if your average weekly wage is $677.60 or less, it replaces 95% of it. You qualify with $2,325 in your best base-period quarter. HUSKY D covers adults without children below 138% of the poverty level, and Covered Connecticut gives no-cost coverage up to 175%.

The rule in Connecticut

CT Paid LeaveUp to 12 weeks of benefits in a 12-month period for most reasons, with up to 2 more for incapacity during pregnancy. You pay 0.5% of wages in 2026.
Who qualifiesAt least $2,325 earned from a covered employer in the highest quarter of your base period, and working for one now or within the last 12 weeks.
Weekly benefit, 202695% of your average weekly wage up to $677.60 (40 times the minimum wage), plus 60% above that, capped at $1,016.40 a week. Apply online or by phone with Aflac, the program’s claims administrator.
Paid sick leave1 hour per 30 worked, up to 40 hours a year, usable 120 days after hire. Covers employers with 11 or more Connecticut employees since January 1, 2026, and those with 1 or more from January 1, 2027. Part-timers accrue too.
CT Earned Income Tax Credit, 202540% of your federal EITC, up to $3,218 with three or more children, plus $250 if you have at least one qualifying child. Refundable; file Schedule CT-EITC.
HUSKY DMedicaid for residents 19 to 64 without dependent children, not pregnant and not on Medicare, with income under 138% of the poverty level.
Covered ConnecticutNo-cost health and dental coverage for residents 19 to 64 who earn too much for HUSKY, with 2026 income up to $27,387.50 for one person, in a Silver plan from Access Health CT. Enroll any time.
“The CoveredCT program offers no-cost health insurance, dental insurance and non-emergency medical transportation to all Connecticut residents between the ages of 19-64 that qualify.” (Connecticut DSS: Covered Connecticut Program)

What’s different in Connecticut

The benefit formula is built for hourly workers. If your average weekly wage is at or below $677.60, 40 hours at the state minimum wage, you get 95% of it; the Paid Leave Authority’s own example is a worker well under that line. Above the line, each extra dollar is replaced at 60%. The earnings test, $2,325 in one quarter, is within reach of steady part-time shifts.

Connecticut also fills the gap just above Medicaid. Covered Connecticut adds no-cost coverage, dental included, to a Silver plan for people up to 175% of the poverty level, and you don’t need a life event to sign up. Sick leave is phasing in to every employer by 2027. Plus the federal programs.

Official sources

Last verified

. Checked the agency pages linked above.

Still open: The CT Paid Leave Authority is a state-created authority whose site isn’t on a .gov domain. Its pages don’t say how tips count in your average weekly wage.

Related

TipMax Answers explains public government guidance on pay and workplace rules in plain English for tipped workers. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Rules change and local rules can add to them. Confirm with the agency linked on this page or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and pay; it doesn’t enforce wage law or decide disputes.