In response to Hurricane Harvey’s destruction in Texas and Louisiana, employees may wish to take time off from work to participate in the cleanup efforts. Employers may wonder what their obligations are when faced with requests for leave. Public Sector State employees who are certified disaster service volunteers with the American Red Cross may, with […]
A tuition reimbursement program can be a very attractive employee recruitment and retention tool, while simultaneously providing employers with the benefit of a more educated workforce. Launching a tuition reimbursement program sends employees the message that you value them and their growth enough to invest in their futures. Such programs can be tax-favored as well. […]
Starting September 18, 2017, all employers will be required to use a new I-9 Form, the form used to verify an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States. The most recent change to the I-9 was less than a year ago, so it is important to ensure that you are using the edition dated […]
The United States Department of Justice recently filed a friend of the court brief with the Eastern District Court of New York arguing that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not cover sexual orientation. However despite what is taking place at the National level, Connecticut has a separate statute which governs discrimination against […]
It is illegal for public entities to discriminate against individuals with disabilities. No one disputes this premise. But did you know that if your website does not meet certain standards of accessibility you could be the subject of a complaint and investigation by OCR? In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights […]
Just before the end of the legislative session, Public Act 17-118: An Act Concerning Pregnant Women in the Workplace, passed and is expected to be signed by the Governor. Effective October 1st, this Bill amends Connecticut’s existing Pregnancy Discrimination Statute, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-60 by expanding the employment protections provided to pregnant women and requiring […]
Typically this time of year school district administrators ponder whether to “non-renew” non-tenured teachers in response to budget uncertainty, as opposed to waiting for the fiscal picture to become clear and possibly laying off teachers at a later time. Given the state budget crisis, and unprecedented major cuts in funding on the table, the uncertainty […]
A pharmacist was terminated after he claimed he was unable to administer vaccinations to customers. Christopher Stevens sued Rite Aid for discrimination, retaliation and failure to accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other state non-discrimination laws. The jury awarded him $2.6 million, including $900,000 in non-economic damages. By way of background, Rite […]
What is an Oxford comma? The Oxford comma is an optional comma before the word ‘and’ at the end of a list: for example, “lions, and tigers, and bears… (oh my)”. While use of the Oxford comma has long been the subject of debate, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston has determined its […]
Over the past few weeks, there have been several cyberattacks on Connecticut municipalities and boards of education. On the municipal side, internet thieves have intercepted wire transfer instructions in two Connecticut municipalities resulting in the theft of significant sums. Most recently, an outside party accessed a Superintendent’s email and requested W-2 information for the school […]
