On April 2, 2018, Esty announced she would not seek re-election in November 2018. In a Facebook post, Etsy wrote, "Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better." In March 2018, multiple news outlets accused Esty of not firing her chief of staff for three months after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against him from female staffers in 2016. The female staff members claimed they experienced "violence, death threats and sexual harassment" from former chief of staff Tony Baker. In a public apology, Esty said she regretted not pushing forward an internal investigation that revealed more widespread allegations of abuse and helping Baker secure a new job. Politicians across the state called for her resignation, including Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D), former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz (D), the Connecticut Republican Party, and state Sens. Mae Flexer (D) and Catherine A. Osten (D). Esty dismissed these calls to resign.

Multiple news outlets in March 2018 accused Esty of not firing her chief of staff for three months after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against him from female staffers in 2016. The female staff members claimed they experienced "violence, death threats and sexual harassment" from former chief of staff Tony Baker. In a public apology, Esty said she regretted not pushing forward an internal investigation that revealed more widespread allegations of abuse and helping Baker secure a new job. Politicians across the state called for her resignation, including Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D), former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz (D), the Connecticut Republican Party, and state Sens. Mae Flexer (D) and Catherine A. Osten (D). Esty dismissed these calls to resign. On April 2, 2018, Esty announced she would not seek re-election in November.