Connecticut Wage and Hour Laws

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016

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The federal wage and hour laws are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act. This federal act provides minimum standards for wage and hour laws throughout in the United States. Individual states are allowed to pass their own laws as long as the state laws don't dip below the federal minimum. For example, a state can only enact its own minimum wage law if the state requires employers to pay more than the FLSA requires.

Connecticut has enacted its own wage and hour laws (title 31 chapter 558), so employers within the state must comply with both the state and federal standards. The following chart highlights Connecticut's minimum wage and overtime wage laws.

Code Section

Connecticut General Statutes chapter 558: Minimum Wage and Overtime Wage

What's Prohibited?

Paying (or agreeing to pay) an employee less than the minimum wage or the overtime wage.

Connecticut's Minimum Wage

Non-exempt employees must be paid at least $8.70 per hour.

Connecticut's Overtime Wage

A regular workweek in Connecticut consists of 40 hours. Employees that work more than 40 hours in a given week must be paid for the additional hours at a rate of at least 1-½ half times the employee's regular hourly wage.

Penalties

If the total amount of unpaid wages owed to an employee is:

  • More than $2,000: Punishable by a fine of between $4,000 and $10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to five years for each offense.
  • Between $1,000 and $2,000: Punishable by a fine of between $2,000 and $4,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year for each offense.
  • Between $500 and $1,000: Punishable by a fine of between $1,000 and $2,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months for each offense.
  • $500 or less: Punishable by a fine of between $400 and $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three months for each offense.

Violators may also be liable to pay civil penalties to the Labor Department.

Exempt Workers

The above provisions don't apply to workers listed in Connecticut's General Statutes section 31-76i. Examples of exempt workers include: seamen, taxicab drivers, car salesmen, agricultural employees, police officers, and firemen.

Record Keeping Requirements

Under Connecticut's wage and hour laws every employer is required to keep accurate records about each employee's wages for a three-year period. These records must contain the following information about the employee:

  • Name
  • Home address
  • Occupation
  • Total hours worked for each day and week (including the start and end time of each work period)
  • Total hourly, daily, or weekly basic wage
  • Overtime wage
  • Additions and deductions from each pay period
  • Total wages paid for each pay period
  • Working certificates for all employees who are between 16 and 18 years old

Additional Resources

State laws change frequently. For case specific information regarding Connecticut's wage and hour laws contact a local employment attorney.

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