Connecticut has become the third state to legalize same-sex civil marriages, which California and Massachusetts already recognize. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to overturn a lower court ruling that denied same-sex couples the right to marry on the grounds that existing laws allowing civil unions afforded them sufficient rights. Gay and lesbian couples sought the right to marry under the Connecticut Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection. The Connecticut decision has no potential effect on federal law, which does not recognize same-sex marriages.
We will provide more details and discuss how this ruling will affect your workplace in an upcoming issue of Connecticut Employment Law Letter.