Millions Recovered
For Unpaid Workers
Connecticut's $16.94 minimum wage is among the highest in America, and wage violations carry presumed double damages. Find out what you're owed.
No fees unless we win. We only get paid when you do.
Get an estimate of what you're owed in just 60 seconds. This calculator is based on federal FLSA laws and includes liquidated damages (double your unpaid wages).
Since 2015, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-72 makes double damages the presumption in wage cases — the burden is on the employer to prove good faith to avoid them. Combined with a $16.94 minimum wage (indexed to wage growth annually), Connecticut workers have serious leverage. One caution: Connecticut's 2-year filing window is short, so timing matters.
| Provision | Connecticut Law | Federal FLSA | Which Applies? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overtime Threshold | 40 hours/week (§ 31-76c) | 40 hours/week | Same standard |
| Minimum Wage | $16.94/hr (2026, indexed annually) | $7.25/hr | Connecticut (2.3x federal) |
| Damages | Double damages PRESUMED (§ 31-72) | 2x with good-faith defense | Connecticut (burden on employer) |
| Statute of Limitations | 2 years (§ 52-596; tolled by CT DOL complaint) | 2 years (3 if willful) | Federal can reach further for willful violations |
| Tipped Minimum | $6.38/hr wait staff; $8.23 bartenders | $2.13/hr | Connecticut (3-4x higher) |
| Exemption Tests | State duties tests can be stricter than federal for some roles | 29 C.F.R. Part 541 | Most protective applies |
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-72
Since 2015, courts award twice the unpaid wages unless the employer proves it acted in good faith — the opposite of how most states work. Plus attorney fees.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-58
Connecticut's minimum wage is $16.94 (2026) and rises automatically each January with the employment cost index. Employers paying stale rates owe the difference, doubled.
Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-62-E2
Tip credits only apply to service duties. Wait staff doing non-service work (cleaning, prep, stocking) must be paid full minimum wage for that time — segregated and recorded. Most restaurants get this wrong.
FLSA + § 31-76c
Unpaid pre-shift setup, post-shift cleanup, travel between client sites, and after-hours emails are compensable. Common in CT's healthcare, insurance, and finance back offices.
29 C.F.R. Part 541 + state tests
A salary doesn't eliminate overtime rights. You must meet salary thresholds AND duties tests — and Connecticut's tests can be stricter than federal for some positions.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-69b
Your employer cannot fire or punish you for filing a wage complaint or cooperating with the CT Department of Labor. Retaliation creates a separate claim.
Violations: Automatic lunch deductions, unpaid travel between patient homes, off-the-clock charting at hospitals and agencies statewide.
Violations: Tip credit applied to non-service work, managers in tip pools, unpaid side work — Connecticut's segregation rules are strict and rarely followed.
Violations: Hartford's insurance industry: misclassified analysts and adjusters, unpaid after-hours work, "administrative" exemption abuse.
Violations: 1099 misclassification, day rates without overtime, unpaid travel between job sites.
Violations: Assistant manager misclassification, off-the-clock opening/closing, working through breaks.
Violations: Unpaid security screenings, misclassified drivers, shaved hours along the I-95 and I-91 corridors.
1.5x your regular rate for all hours over 40 per week
Twice the unpaid wages unless the EMPLOYER proves good faith (§ 31-72)
Misapplied tip credits mean back pay to the full minimum wage for affected hours
The employer pays your legal fees separately — not from your recovery
Connecticut wage claims must generally be filed within 2 years (§ 52-596) — though filing a complaint with the CT Department of Labor tolls the clock, and federal claims for willful violations reach back 3 years. Strategy matters here more than in most states.
⚠️ Connecticut rewards workers who act quickly — don't wait.
Connecticut pairs one of the nation's highest minimum wages with a damages provision that puts the burden of proof on the employer, not you.
💼 Free Case Review — No Fee Unless We Win
Connecticut's clock is short — use the calculator above, then contact us today.
Expert legal review of your overtime claim. No fees unless we win. Use the calculator above to estimate your recovery, then contact us for a detailed case analysis.