The Connecticut minimum wage is $16.94 per hour as of January 1, 2026, up from $16.35 in 2025.1Connecticut Department of Labor. State of Connecticut – Minimum Wage Information Every non-exempt worker in the state must earn at least that amount, whether they work for a corner store or a national chain.2CT.gov. Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Will Increase The federal floor of $7.25 has not moved since 2009, so for practically every job in Connecticut, the state rate is what controls.3U.S. Department of Labor. State Minimum Wage Laws
How the Rate Changes Each Year
Connecticut’s wage now moves on its own. The state ties annual adjustments to the federal Employment Cost Index, a measure of how wages and salaries change across the civilian workforce. Connecticut is the only state that uses the ECI rather than a consumer price index.4Connecticut General Assembly. 2019-R-0269 – Connecticut Minimum Wage Increases
The U.S. Department of Labor calculates the percentage change in the ECI over the twelve months ending June 30. The Connecticut Labor Commissioner reviews that figure and announces any adjustment by October 15, and the new rate takes effect the following January 1.2CT.gov. Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Will Increase The wage can only go up. If the ECI shows no increase, the rate stays where it is.
Tipped Workers
Hotel and restaurant workers who regularly receive tips are paid differently. Employers can claim a tip credit and pay a lower base wage as long as tips carry the total to at least the full minimum. Non-bartender service workers must receive a base wage of $6.38 per hour. Bartenders must receive at least $8.23 per hour before tips.5Justia. Connecticut Code 31-60 – Payment of Less Than Minimum or Overtime Wage
If your tips plus base wage don’t reach $16.94 in a given hour, your employer is legally required to make up the difference. This is where wage theft often shows up in practice. Keep your own log of hours and tips; relying only on the employer’s records puts you at a disadvantage if a dispute arises.
Training Wage for Younger Workers
Employers can pay workers under 18 a reduced training wage of 85% of the standard rate during their first 90 days on the job, but only if it’s the worker’s first job.6Connecticut Department of Labor. Employment of Minors – Frequently Asked Questions At the current rate, that comes to roughly $14.40 per hour. After 90 days, the full minimum applies.
Overtime and Who Doesn’t Get It
Connecticut requires overtime at one and a half times your regular rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek.7Connecticut Department of Labor. Wage and Hour – Minimum Wage/Overtime There is no state requirement for daily overtime, weekend premiums, or holiday pay unless your employment contract provides for it.
Salaried workers in executive, administrative, or professional roles are exempt only if they earn at least $684 per week, or $35,568 a year. That federal threshold, set in 2019, is currently being enforced after a 2024 court decision struck down a planned increase.8U.S. Department of Labor. Earnings Thresholds for the Executive, Administrative, and Professional Exemption If your salary is below that line, you’re generally entitled to overtime regardless of your job title.
What to Do If You’ve Been Underpaid
Connecticut’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards handles wage complaints. Before you file, pull together your own record of hours worked, pay stubs, and any written offer letter or agreement about your rate. Specific documentation moves the investigation faster.
The department provides a complaint form you can submit online or by mail.9Connecticut Department of Labor. Wage and Workplace Standards Complaint Forms Instructions Fill out every section. Incomplete forms are the most common reason for delays.
You have two years from the date of the violation to bring a claim for unpaid wages. Filing a complaint with the Labor Commissioner pauses that clock.10Connecticut General Assembly. Chapter 926 – Statute of Limitations Don’t wait. Two years passes quickly, especially if you’re still working there and hoping the problem sorts itself out.
You can also sue directly. Under Section 31-72 of the General Statutes, an employee can recover double the amount of unpaid wages, plus attorney’s fees. The doubling applies automatically when an employer fails to pay in accordance with the wage statutes, so the employer doesn’t get a break for eventually paying up after being caught. Many employment attorneys handle these cases on contingency because the double-damages provision makes the recovery worthwhile for both sides.
Retaliation Is a Separate Violation
Workers who file wage complaints or cooperate with investigations are protected from retaliation. Connecticut’s Department of Labor accepts separate complaints from employees who believe they were fired, demoted, or otherwise punished for asserting their wage rights.11Connecticut Department of Labor. Retaliation Complaints Federal law offers a parallel protection under the Fair Labor Standards Act.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 29 U.S. Code 215 – Prohibited Acts An employer who fires you for complaining about unpaid wages has just created a second, independent legal problem on top of the first.
Penalties Employers Face
Criminal penalties under Connecticut’s wage payment statutes scale with the amount of unpaid wages:
- More than $2,000 owed: a class D felony, with a fine between $2,000 and $5,000 per offense.
- $1,001 to $2,000 owed: a fine between $1,000 and $2,000, up to one year of imprisonment, or both.
- $501 to $1,000 owed: a fine between $500 and $1,000, up to six months of imprisonment, or both.
- $500 or less owed: a fine between $200 and $500, up to three months of imprisonment, or both.
These penalties apply to the employer or any officer or agent responsible for paying wages.13Justia. Connecticut Code 31-71g – Penalty On top of criminal exposure, employers face a separate civil penalty of $300 per violation payable to the Labor Department.14CT.gov. Connecticut General Statute Section 31-69a