Shipman & Goodwin Partner Dan Schwartz appeared on the “This Week in Connecticut” with Dennis House on Sunday to discuss the state’s new legal cannabis law and its implications for the workplace. In the weekly Sunday news show, Dan discussed how the new law legalizing marijuana use does not necessarily mean quick changes to how employers manage the workplace. In fact, many of the provisions regarding employers are not effective until July 2022. Even then,…

Sarah Westby discusses Connecticut’s new marijuana law and how it will impact employers in the WFSB article, “ANSWER DESK: How will the new pot law impact employers, employees?” To read the full article, please click here.…

On June 16, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) issued a Notice of Interpretation titled “The Department’s Enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 with Respect to Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Light of Bostock v. Clayton County.”  As anticipated, OCR makes clear through the Notice that it interprets Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) to encompass protection against…

Over the last week, Governor Lamont signed two bills, House Bill 6380 (Public Act 21-30) and House Bill 5158 (Public Act 21-27), that will impact public and private employers beginning October 1, 2021 in significant (and yet entirely different) ways. House Bill 6380 adds another layer of complexity for employers engaged in hiring and also amends the State’s current equal pay laws. This new law prohibits employers from failing or refusing to provide a job applicant…

On June 4, 2021, Governor Lamont signed into law Public Act 21-25, which is effective October 1, 2021.  This Act, entitled “An Act Concerning Access to Certain Public Employees by The Exclusive Bargaining Representative of a Public Employer Bargaining Unit,” sets forth new obligations on public employers in Connecticut regarding union access to their employees as well as payroll deductions.  In addition to imposing new requirements on public employers, the Act leaves open numerous questions…

Keegan Drenosky will be a presenter during the Connecticut Valley LERA webinar, “A Shot in the Arm – Should Employers and Schools Mandate the COVID-19 Vaccine?” Employers are required by OSHA to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Schools want to provide safe learning spaces for teachers and students.  To that end, some employers and schools are opting to require the COVID-19 vaccine. But, mandatory employment vaccination programs also require accommodations. What are…

Today the EEOC published updated guidance to address questions it has received from employers about vaccines in the workplace.  The guidance represents the first substantive update to the rules from the EEOC regarding the pandemic since December 2020. Specifically, the new guidance states that employers may: Require all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, provided employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII;…