Over the past several years, Connecticut’s legislature has enacted some significant employment laws that have re-shaped the workplace and posed new challenges for Connecticut employers. The 2023 legislative session that began in January looks to be no exception. As anticipated, some measures that were not successful last year have resurfaced
Articles about Connecticut Labor and Employment Law.
Continued At-Will Employment Sufficient Consideration for Restrictive Covenants, Connecticut Court Holds
Continued at-will employment can be sufficient consideration for an employee’s restrictive covenant agreement, the Connecticut Appellate Court has held. Schimenti Construction Company, LLC v. Schimenti, No. AC44274 (Jan. 17, 2023).
CONNECTICUT LAW MAKERS CONSIDERING MEASURE THAT COULD IMPACT MERIT-BASED HIRING
Executive Summary: Employers want to hire the best candidates for their job. However, in utilizing certain hiring standards, employers may be having a “disparate impact” that inadvertently discriminates against certain protected groups. The Connecticut General Assembly is presently considering a law that would allow women to be exempt from the Candidate Physical Ability Test, the standard used by fire departments across the country. The test, which only approximately 15 percent of women pass, requires candidates to complete intense physical tasks while wearing a 50-pound vest. It is designed to simulate the experience of navigating a fire in heavy gear and identify whether a candidate is capable of performing the essential job functions. The General Assembly is considering an alternative test based on “revised physical standards” to allow for “additional female candidates” to qualify for firefighter positions.
Connecticut Proposes Legislation to Increase Salary Transparency in Job Postings
Connecticut recently proposed legislation (Proposed H.B. No. 5243) that would “require employers to disclose salary ranges in all job postings.” In 2021, Connecticut was one of the first states to enact a pay transparency law requiring employers to disclose to applicants and employees the salary ranges for their positions. The
Connecticut Kicks Off Its 2023 Legislative Session With Slew of Employment-Related Bills
Connecticut employers have seen a significant increase in legislation affecting their businesses over the last few years. The Connecticut General Assembly does not show any signs of slowing down. A slew of labor and employment bills have been proposed in the 2023 legislative session.
Connecticut Caregivers Sue Agency for Overtime Wages
During the pandemic, healthcare workers across the country faced difficult work conditions. Despite the high demand for these essential workers, being overworked and consequent burnout led many employees to quit in droves, thus creating a crisis of care that the healthcare industry is still struggling to recover from. One factor
Connecticut Clean Slate Law Brings New Requirements for Employers in 2023 and Beyond
On June 10, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Connecticut’s “Clean Slate” law, Public Act No. 21-32. The Clean Slate law became effective January 1, 2023, and it provides for the automatic erasure of certain criminal records.
Connecticut ‘Clean Slate’ Law, Erasure of Criminal Convictions, Takes Effect January 1, 2023
On January 1, 2023, a major law about the erasure and consideration of criminal convictions in employment in Connecticut will take effect.
Connecticut’s Pandemic “Hero Pay” Program Goes Into Effect
Private-sector essential employees who worked in Connecticut during the pandemic may receive up to $1,000 in premium pay (i.e., “hero pay”), through a $30 million fund established under the state budget approved by the General Assembly and Governor Ned Lamont.
To be eligible, workers must have earned less than $150,000
Don’t Forget About Other Data Laws When It Comes to Connecticut Privacy Requirements
While the federal government attempts to move forward with a more uniform national law, Connecticut joined California, Colorado, Utah, and Virginia in passing a comprehensive consumer privacy law.
The legislation signed by Connecticut’s governor in May 2022, will take effect on July 1, 2023. However, provisions related to a task
As of July 1, 2022, Connecticut Employers Must Provide Employees with a Notice of Rights Under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Law
Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Increasing to $14 on July 1
As previously reported in this blog, Connecticut’s minimum wage will increase $1.00, to $14.00 per hour, beginning tomorrow, July 1. It is the penultimate step of a 2019 law enacting a series of tiered minimum wage increases that will reach the law’s goal of $15.00 per hour in June 2023.
Connecticut Update: Recreational Marijuana, Captive Audience Meetings, and Leave Notices Requirements Take Effect July 1, 2022
The Connecticut legislature has been busy in 2021 and 2022. Approximately twelve months ago, it passed legislation effectively legalizing recreational marijuana under Connecticut state law. Very recently, it amended Connecticut’s employee free speech statute to, among other things, prohibit employers from convening what organized labor often refers to as “captive
Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations in Final Review; Notices Required as of July 1
Over six months after the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (Connecticut FMLA) took effect, proposed regulations are slated for consideration and approval by the Connecticut Legislative Regulation Review Committee (LRRC).
Connecticut Poised to Ban ‘Captive Audience’ Meetings and Expand Employee Free Speech Protections
Recently, the Connecticut General Assembly sent Public Act No. 22-24 (Substitute Senate Bill No. 163), “An Act Protecting Employee Freedom of Speech and Conscience,” to Governor Ned Lamont’s desk for signature. If enacted, the law will amend Connecticut’s employee free speech statute, Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 31-51q, significantly limiting an
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