Are you a business confused by all the federal legislation coming out, including both FFCRA and the CARES Act? Or would you just like to hear the latest on what employers need to know now? If so, various Fairfield County chambers of commerce are sponsoring a free webinar that should be informative for every employer in Connecticut.  It’s scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), April 8th and running from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. You can register for …

As if the pandemic weren’t disorienting enough, the rules and guidance surrounding unemployment compensation feels as if it keeps changing too. While that’s not entirely accurate — Connecticut’s rules are basically unchanged though some of the application of those rules have been tweaked — the new CARES Act has added a layer of complexity that we are only now beginning to sort out. Add to that new guidance released Saturday evening (here) and even…

This pandemic is exhausting. There’s obviously the personal: The “work from home” novelty has worn off and now comes to tough part of trying to find the boundaries of work and home.  Each day feels like it is 16 hours long (maybe because it is sometimes). Then there’s the professional: We’ve continued to see clients with issues that they never thought they’d have to face.  Layoffs, furloughs, reduced pay & hours, and even shutdowns.  Everything…

Just another day in employment law. Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Labor issued new regulations that further expand what was previously known about the paid leave provisions of the EPSLA and the EFMLEA. You can view the regulations here.    They go into effect immediately. The regulations are lengthy and we’ll have a full recap on the Shipman & Goodwin Coronavirus Resource page on Thursday. But a quick glance at the regulations shows that…

On Tuesday at noon, my colleagues and I are holding a video webinar on practical tips for employers dealing with the COVID-19 crisis now and in the near future.  The program will have a national outlook but we’ll hit on a few state specific resources. The webinar is free to register HERE, though already we have our highest signups on record. Be sure to register as soon as possible and then login 5-10 minutes before…

Today I had the opportunity to talk with a old friend in Spain via FaceTime. We hadn’t talked in months, but I’m sure like a lot of you, this pandemic has a way of bringing us together. The same concerns that we have in Connecticut and the same issues we face are being addressed around the world, including Spain.  Their lockdowns are increasingly stricter. And there are other differences as well. For my friend, his…

Without any fanfare, the Connecticut Department of Labor has recently updated their separation packets, that include the so-called “Pink Slips”. Employers must start using this packet immediately on a going-forward basis. Previously, there was a category of “layoff” but the new form has eliminated that checkbox, and replaced it with “leave of absence”.  This is a welcome change because the “layoff” and “lack of work” always seemed a bit duplicative. There are also still…