In the waning hours of the recently concluded session, the Legislature added a provision to a bill on childhood mental health requiring that all certified staff having direct contact with students receive a minimum uninterrupted lunch of 30 minutes. While legislation (C.G.S. §10-156a) already existed requiring that teachers be provided a duty free lunch, it has now been amended to guarantee that the lunch be (1) uninterrupted, and (2) the greater of 30 minutes or the amount of time provided in the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
The changes become effective July 1, 2022, therefore will not come into play until the 2022-23 school year. School Administrators need to factor in these new requirements when developing schedules for certified staff for the 2022-23 school year.