Connecticut Public Act 26-15 — 2026 Employment Provisions

SUMMARY

Public Act 26-15 amends Connecticut employment-discrimination law to address automated employment-related decision technology and adds an AI-related disclosure to Labor Department notices that an employer already submits under the federal WARN Act.

WHY IT MATTERS

Beginning October 1, 2026, covered employers cannot treat use of automated employment technology as a defense to specified state discrimination complaints. Employers submitting a federal WARN notice must also tell the Connecticut Labor Department whether the layoffs relate to AI or another technological change.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• In specified employment-discrimination actions, use of automated employment-related decision technology is not a defense; the commission or court may consider evidence of anti-bias testing or similar proactive efforts.
• An employer that serves notice on the Connecticut Labor Department under 29 U.S.C. § 2102(a) must disclose, in the form and manner prescribed by the Labor Commissioner, whether the layoffs covered by that notice relate to AI or another technological change.

COVERAGE

Employers: Employers and other covered entities subject to the amended Connecticut employment-discrimination provisions; for section 26, employers already serving a notice on the Connecticut Labor Department under federal WARN Act section 2102(a).

Workers: Applicants and employees protected by the cited Connecticut anti-discrimination statutes, and workers covered by the underlying federal WARN notice where section 26 applies.

Exceptions: Section 26 does not create a new WARN coverage threshold or independent layoff-notice trigger; it adds information to a notice an employer already serves under 29 U.S.C. § 2102(a).

ENFORCEMENT & PENALTIES

The discrimination amendments operate through Connecticut's existing civil-rights complaint and adjudication framework. Section 26 directs disclosure to the Connecticut Labor Department but Public Act 26-15 does not state a separate penalty in that section.

CHANGE HISTORY

1. 2026-09-22
   verification update

   Record re-verified

   Official source links, status, and key dates were checked for this maintenance release.

2. 2026-05-27
   signed

   Governor signed Public Act 26-15

   The Governor signed SB 5 as Public Act 26-15.

3. 2026-05-01
   passed legislature

   General Assembly completed passage

   The House passed the Senate-amended bill in concurrence.

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