Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Insight on Labor & Employment Developments for Connecticut Businesses

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Daniel Schwartz

Gary S. Starr

Latest from Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Happy Juneteenth Day – The New Federal Holiday

By Daniel Schwartz

June 18, 2021

If you’re calling the federal courts today (Friday), odds are you may not get someone. Yesterday, President Biden signed a bill making it law that Juneteenth (which is a Saturday) is now a federal holiday. The day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States when Union general Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and issued General Order Number 3 which read and declared that “all slaves are free”. As Vice President Harris said: “Throughout…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Legal Cannabis and Marijuana Poses New Challenges for Employers Effective July 2022

By Daniel Schwartz

June 17, 2021

The General Assembly early today gave final approval to a bill that will legalize marijuana/cannabis use in Connecticut. It is a massive shift and the bill legalizing it is massive too. (Heck, the summary of the bill is 184 pages!) The bill creates a whole new set of rules for employers — most of which will go into effect in one year (July 1, 2022) — so we’ll do a deeper dive into this in…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Beware the Budget Implementer: New Employment Laws On the Way

By Daniel Schwartz

June 16, 2021

If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know that the budget implementer bill in the state legislature always contains more than just budget items. It’s a “must-pass” bill that normally has items that, for one reason or another, didn’t pass during the regular session but that are important to various legislators. It was just four years ago that the budget implementer contained big changes to the state’s FMLA laws; those provisions…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Mandating Vaccines at Workplace Is Legal, Says Court

By Daniel Schwartz

June 14, 2021

Over the last few months, I’ve noted here and elsewhere that employers can very likely mandate vaccines. Now are starting to see the first court cases confirm this. In a decision issued over the weekend, a federal court in Texas rejected claims by a class of workers at a Houston hospital that the hospital’s policy of requiring employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 at its expense was illegal. The case, Bridges v. Houston Methodist Hospital, can …

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Under New Law, Employers Required to Disclose Wage Ranges To Applicants and More

By Daniel Schwartz

June 8, 2021

Yesterday, Governor Lamont signed House Bill 6380 (Public Act 21-30), which adds another layer of complexity for employers engaged in hiring and also amends the state’s equal pay laws. Here’s what employers need to know for the new law that goes into effect October 1, 2021 for wage ranges: First, the new law prohibits employers from failing or refusing to provide a job applicant with the “wage range” of the position for which the applicant…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

New Laws Coming Out of General Assembly, Including Updated Breastfeeding in Workplace Rules

By Daniel Schwartz

June 6, 2021

Just a few more days until the General Assembly wraps up for the current year. With the end upon us, employers need to stay up on the bills — some of which get lots of press, some of which don’t. One of the bills that has been passed over the last few days — and signed by the Governor on Friday — updates the state’s laws on breastfeeding in the workplace. Public Act 21-27 (formerly …

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

EEOC Confirms Employers May Limit Workplace to Vaccinated Workers

By Daniel Schwartz

May 30, 2021

On Friday, the EEOC released new guidance to address issues that had been popping up in the workplace related to vaccinations. They represent the first substantive updates on the pandemic from the EEOC since the start of the Biden administration. My firm will be posting a full recap on our sister site, Employment Law Letter, early this week as will most lawfirms. But for me, the key takeaway confirms what we’ve thought these…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

State Mask Rule Updated Yet Again (Really!)

By Daniel Schwartz

May 21, 2021

Did you like Executive Order 12 which set forth a new mask rule in Connecticut? Well, I hope you didn’t get used to it because it changed again on Thursday. Executive Order 12A tweaks the prior rule. It provides that the Department of Public Health shall issue a rule setting forth a comprehensive list of facilities, venues and other locations where masks and face coverings are required. The Department of Public Health later set forward a …

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Employers “Should Require” Unvaccinated Staff to Wear Masks, Says DPH Guidance

By Daniel Schwartz

May 20, 2021

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After my post yesterday regarding Executive Order 12, the state Department of Public Health released its guidance further clarifying (or not) the rules of the road for masks going forward. The problem is there is still some questions that remain even after the guidance. Before I talk about that, let’s talk about words. When someone says you “must” or “need to” or “are required” to do something, odds are you’re going to do it.…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

State Updates Mask Order, Drops Sector Rules Though Questions Remain

By Daniel Schwartz

May 19, 2021

On Tuesday afternoon, Governor Lamont issued new Executive Order 12 updating the mask guidance that the state has been operating under since way back in Executive Order 7NNN on August 14, 2020 (and Executive Order 7BB on April 17, 2020 before that). The new guidance skews closer to the CDC guidance that we talked about last week. In addition, the state has discontinued all of the sector rules that were first required and then recommended to…

Connecticut Employment Law Blog

Insight on Labor & Employment Developments for Connecticut Businesses

Blog Authors

Happy Juneteenth Day – The New Federal Holiday

Legal Cannabis and Marijuana Poses New Challenges for Employers Effective July 2022

Beware the Budget Implementer: New Employment Laws On the Way

Mandating Vaccines at Workplace Is Legal, Says Court

Under New Law, Employers Required to Disclose Wage Ranges To Applicants and More

New Laws Coming Out of General Assembly, Including Updated Breastfeeding in Workplace Rules

EEOC Confirms Employers May Limit Workplace to Vaccinated Workers

State Mask Rule Updated Yet Again (Really!)

Employers “Should Require” Unvaccinated Staff to Wear Masks, Says DPH Guidance

State Updates Mask Order, Drops Sector Rules Though Questions Remain

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