Connecticut Labor & Employment Law Journal

The list of protected statuses under the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (“CFEPA”) grows longer.  CFEPA prohibits employment discrimination and harassment because of an “individual’s race, color, religious creed, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disability, intellectual disability, learning disability, physical disability, including, but not […]

It is that time of year when many of the changes from the Legislative process go into effect. On October 1, a number of new and revised laws went into effect which impact Connecticut employers. Those laws are summarized as follows: Public Act No. 25-12 – this Legislation removes an administrative law judge’s (ALJ) discretion […]

Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Labor announced that the state minimum wage will increase to $16.94 per hour on January 1, 2025. This increase is the result of an annual index-based adjustment to occur under legislation signed in 2019.  Employers should expect notice of the new minimum wage each fall by October 15th […]

Public and private employers with 11-24 employees in Connecticut will need to comply with the CT Paid Sick Leave Law (CPSLL) by January 1, 2026.  This law requires employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave in a year.  It is distinct from the CT Family and Medical Leave Act and CT […]

Connecticut employers often struggle with questions about managing employee substance use.  The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Connecticut has only added to the haze around this topic.  This article busts myths around employers’ abilities to address employee substance use.  Myth #1: Employers Can Conduct Drug and Alcohol Tests Whenever They Want  Fact: In the […]

Do Connecticut employers, with no employees in New Jersey, need to comply with New Jersey pay transparency laws?  Maybe. In today’s interconnected world, businesses are no longer confined by state borders.   With the rise of remote work, some employers may utilize a workforce scattered across the country or the world.  Typically, employment laws apply based […]

Natasha Knox, a black woman of Jamaican descent, worked for a laundromat chain at several Bronx, New York locations. Knox was ultimately terminated from her employment for removing cash from the register and refusing to return it. Knox sued her former employer and two of her former supervisors alleging discriminatory and retaliatory termination, a hostile […]

Supervision of employees in the workplace is an active process meant to maintain a positive work environment and high levels of productivity.  Poor employee performance creates stress and can drag down productivity and morale.  Business owners, supervisors, and Human Resources professionals frequently encounter questions about performance management.  This article busts some common myths about performance […]

Since the Trump Administration came back into power there has been a lot of talk about the lawfulness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) policies in the workplace. The Biden administration pushed hard for DEI in the workplace. The Trump Administration is also pushing hard – pushing hard against DEI in the workplace – going […]