Hours worked
Connecticut minimum wage laws require employers to pay non-exempt employees for all hours worked. Connecticut defines hours worked as the time an employer requires an employee to be on duty on the employer’s premises or at an assigned work place. It also includes all time the employee is permitted to work, whether or not the work is required. CT Statute 31-76b(2)(A) Employers must compute hours worked by employees to the nearest unit of 15 minutes. CT Reg. 31-60-11
Workweek
Connecticut minimum wage laws do not specifically define what constitutes a workweek for purposes of its minimum wage or overtime requirements.
Waiting time
Connecticut minimum wage laws require employers to count time spent by employees waiting for work if the employees are required to remain on the employer’s premises. CT Statute 31-76b(2)(B)
On-call time
Connecticut minimum wage laws require employers to count time spent by employees on-call for emergency services as hours worked for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements if the employees are required to stay on the employer’s premises or at another designated location. CT Statute 31-76b(2)(B)
An employer does not need to pay employees who are on-call to perform emergency services if they are not required to remain on the employer’s premises and are only required to provide the employer with contact information. However, an employer must pay employees who are on-call from the time the employees are notified of a work assignment until it has been completed. Likewise, when an employee who is not on duty and is not on-call but is required to work without prior notice, the employer must pay the employee from the time they are notified of the work assignment until it is completed. CT Statute 31-76b(2)(C)
Sleeping time
Connecticut minimum wage laws do not specifically address when an employer must pay an employee for sleep time. Based on Connecticut’s general definition of hours worked, an employer would be required to pay employees for sleeping time if the employee is required to remain on the employer’s premises while sleeping. The standards set forth under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act related to sleeping time may provide additional reasonable guidance.
Travel time
Connecticut minimum wage laws require employers to count employee travel time as hours worked for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements if the employees are required or permitted to travel for purposes incidental to the performance of their job duties. It does not include an employee’s typical commute from home to work or work to home. CT Reg. 31-60-10(a)
If employees are required to report to work at a location that is further from home than their typical work location, the employer must pay them for the additional travel time it takes to get to the more distant work location. CT Reg. 31-60-10(c) Similarly, if employees returns home from work from a location that is further from home than their typical work location, the employer must pay them for the additional travel time it takes to get home.CT Reg. 31-60-10(d)
An employer must pay employees for time spent traveling when the travel is for the employer’s benefit. Additionally, an employer must compensate employees for expenses that are directly incidental to and result from such travel if such expenses reduces the employees wage rate below the minimum wage. CT Reg. 31-60-10(b)
Meeting, lecture, and training time
Connecticut’s minimum wage laws do not address when employees must count time spent by employees attending meetings, lectures, or training as hours worked for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements. However, because most employees working in Connecticut are also subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the rules and regulation set forth in that law regarding meeting, lecture, and training time provide reasonable guidance.
Show up or reporting time
Connecticut minimum wage laws require employers to pay the following employees show up or reporting pay as described. Employers are not required to pay employees show up or reporting pay if they do not fall within one of the categories listed below:
- Mercantile Trade (CT Reg. 31-62-D2(d))
- Mercantile trade employers, which includes retail establishments, must pay employees for a minimum of four (4) hours at their regular rate regardless of the number of hours actually worked if the employees are required by or received permission from the employer to show up or report to work. In instances where an employee is regularly scheduled for less than four (4) per shift, the employer and employee may agree in writing that the employer will not be paid reporting pay, provided that the employer pay the employee at least twice the standard minimum wage and Connecticut’s Department of Labor approves the agreement.
- Restaurant and Hotel Restaurant Occupations (CT Reg. 31-62-E1(b))
- Employers must pay employees working in restaurant and hotel restaurant occupations for a minimum of two (2) hours at the standard minimum wage for each day the employees are regularly required to work, unless the employer gives the employees adequate notice that they do not need to report to work not later than the day before the scheduled shift. Employers must also pay employees working in restaurant and hotel restaurant occupations for a minimum of two (2) hours at their regular rate for any day they are called into work. To receive show up or reporting pay, an employee must be able and willing to work as requested. If an employer refuses to pay an employee reporting pay because he or she is either unable or unwilling to work a minimum of two (2) hours, the employer must obtain a signed statement from the employee acknowledging his or her inability or unwillingness to work.
