As the Delta variant has caused another wave of COVID cases and hospitalizations, employers are again asking whether they can mandate that their employees become vaccinated against COVID-19 and what other steps should be taken to protect those who are immunocompromised or who remain unvaccinated. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued guidance on these issues. As most employers are aware, in May 2021, the Equal…

In 49 out of 50 states (Montana being the exception) the default status of employment arrangements between employers and employees is “at will.” This ostensibly means what it sounds like it means—i.e., employees can quit whenever and for whatever reason they choose, and employers can fire an employee for any reason so long as it’s not illegal. For employees, this is generally true. There is not much that an employer can do to prevent someone…

Employees will be eligible to take paid family and medical leave starting January 1, 2022. Join our Labor & Employment partners as they roll up their sleeves and discuss what employers must do to prepare. Carmody is offering two complimentary, highly interactive one-hour workshops. These workshops are intended for anyone responsible for administering workplace policies. Workshop 1 will be a review of the changes to Connecticut’s FMLA and how it differs from the federal FMLA;…

Connecticut recently amended the sexual harassment training requirements to allow certain training to be “transferable” for a limited period. Beginning October 1, 2021, employees who completed training at the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, either in person or online, can transfer their compliance certificate to their new employer if they completed it within two years of being hired. Unfortunately, if the new hire was trained by an organization other than the CHRO,…

On July 1, 2021, nearly 100 new laws took effect in Connecticut. Below is a summary of some key new laws that will affect employers and the workplace. Minimum Wage Increase—Effective August 1, 2021, Connecticut’s minimum wage increased from $12 per hour to $13 per hour. The minimum wage will increase to $14 per hour on July 1, 2022 and to $15 per hour on June 1, 2023. Beginning January 1, 2024, the minimum wage…

The subject of taxation of employee benefits made rare headlines earlier this month when a New York grand jury indicted the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, for tax crimes relating to unreported fringe benefits. The indictment alleges that Weisselberg intentionally failed to report and pay taxes on over $1.75 million of indirect employee compensation. Such indirect compensation is alleged to include lease payments for Weisselberg and his spouse’s apartment and their…