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Juneteenth to Become State Holiday in Connecticut
Rebecca Goldberg
By Rebecca Goldberg

Juneteenth to Become State Holiday in Connecticut

Juneteenth is slated to become a state holiday in Connecticut starting in 2023.  Although prior efforts had failed, the General Assembly recently passed a bill to elevate Juneteenth from a commemorative day to a state holiday.  Support was nearly unanimous, with the bill passing in the House by a vote of 148-1 and in the […]

Singing the FMLA blues!
Christopher M. Hodgson, Esq.
By Christopher M. Hodgson, Esq.

Singing the FMLA blues!

Employers trying to enforce attendance policies confront a poker hand of laws that protect the rights of employees to different types of work leave. Indeed, an employee out on leave can be eligible for various types of leave including Workers Compensation, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Connecticut FMLA, the Americans with Disabilities […]

Pandemic Impacts on the Duty to Bargain Under MERA
Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.
By Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.

Pandemic Impacts on the Duty to Bargain Under MERA

The State Board of Labor Relations (SBLR) recently addressed the issue of whether the pandemic and the federal, state, or local mandates imposed as a result of the pandemic dispense with an employer’s duty to bargain over a change in working conditions.  In a case decided on March 3, 2022, the SBLR found that, although […]

Why Non-Union Private Employers Should Be Aware of the National Labor Relations Act
Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.
By Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.

Why Non-Union Private Employers Should Be Aware of the National Labor Relations Act

It is a common misunderstanding that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) only applies to unionized employers. It doesn’t – and being unaware of that fact can lead to increased liability and substantial costs.  The heart of the NLRA is Section 7, which provides employees “the right to self organization, to form, join, or assist […]

A Cautionary Reminder For Public Sector Employers
Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.
By Christopher R. Henderson, Esq.

A Cautionary Reminder For Public Sector Employers

At the end of 2021, the State Board of Labor Relations (SBLR) issued a decision that serves as an important and cautionary reminder to take seriously the prohibition against direct dealing and union retaliation.  The Municipal Employee Relations Act (MERA), like many collective bargaining statutes across the country, prohibits an employer from negotiating terms or […]

Bill to Ban Captive Audience Speeches Introduced at General Assembly
Floyd J. Dugas, Esq.
By Floyd J. Dugas, Esq.

Bill to Ban Captive Audience Speeches Introduced at General Assembly

Continuing the trend in an already pro-union state, the General Assembly is considering a “captive audience” bill which would outlaw “captive audience” meetings by employers in response to union organizing efforts. For decades, federal and state law has permitted employers to hold mandatory meetings during work hours where they would have an opportunity to explain […]