CT SB00220

Covered employees denied compensation under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program may appeal to the Labor Commissioner within 21 calendar days of the denial decision, with allowances for good cause late filings.

The Labor Commissioner or designee decides appeals based on the file record and may supplement the record or conduct a hearing, with authority to require witness attendance, document production, and issue subpoenas.

The Commissioner may award covered employees all appropriate relief including compensation or benefits they would have received if the denial had not occurred.

Parties aggrieved by the Commissioner's decision may appeal to Superior Court for the judicial district of Hartford or where the appellant resides, with the court limited to reviewing whether findings should be corrected or if evidence supports the Commissioner's conclusions.

Further appeals from Superior Court decisions proceed to the Appellate Court following standard procedures, and the Labor Department must adopt regulations governing appeal procedures.