The number of employers registering with the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority has exceeded expectations.  Employers started collecting a state-mandated deduction from their employees’ paychecks to help pay for the paid family and medical leave program.

Authority CEO Andrea Barton Reeves says 121,000 businesses are remitting the one half of 1 percent from employee wages.  The trust fund has collected $216 million.  The fund will start paying out benefits in January.

Under the state’s new family medical leave program, qualified employees can begin receiving benefits on January 1st .  This is for up to 12 weeks of replacement wages for workers who take extended time off for personal illness, or to care for a family member or loved one. Qualifying reasons also include birth, serving as an organ or bone marrow donor and incidence of family violence.  An additional two weeks can be available for complications from pregnancy.

Employers of one or more people are responsible for withholding the deductions and remitting to the state.