Berchem Moses PC awarded its 2014 New Opportunities Scholarship to Diana Olivo, a 2014 graduate of Bridgeport’s Warren Harding High School. She will be awarded $5,000 for her college expenses. Also, the law firm has awarded Diandre Clarke, a 2014 graduate of Bridgeport’s Bassick High School, a second place prize of $1,000 for her academic […]
This is Part 2 in a 6-part series on Connecticut Employment Laws You Didn’t Know Existed Many employers are unaware of a Connecticut employment law essentially requiring offer letters. Employers must, at the time of hiring, advise employees as to their rate of pay, hours of employment, and wage payment schedule. The statute also requires employers to […]
This is Part 1 in a 6-part series on Connecticut Employment Laws You Didn’t Know Existed. Do you pay your employees at least weekly? If you answered no, you are in good company. Bi-weekly pay (paying employees every two weeks) is probably the most common choice of pay frequency. However, a quirky feature of Connecticut’s wage payment […]
As summer approaches, many companies are beginning to hire students to work as unpaid interns. While unpaid internships are a time-honored tradition, they are almost always illegal in the for-profit world. Typically, the so-called “intern” is actually an employee who must be paid minimum wage and, if applicable, overtime. Depending on state law, Workers’ Compensation […]
Have you as an employer ever written in a job posting that only currently employed or recently unemployed applicants will be considered, or denied an applicant because he or she had a history of unemployment? It sounds counterintuitive at first—like a restaurant turning away hungry people—but some employers may be concerned that unemployment itself indicates […]
Every employer in the United States must post at least some labor law notices. Many state and federal employment laws come with such a requirement. While different posters are needed for different situations (for example, based on the employer’s size or industry), no employer is exempt from posting at all. It may be obvious that […]
A recent speech by Labor Secretary Thomas Perez at the IAFF conference provided some details about the changes to the managerial exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Significantly, Secretary Perez reiterated that the current salary threshold of $455 is inadequate and that the primary duties test creates an employer friendly “loophole” that is used to […]
Are your employees prohibited from discussing their wages? Many employers have such policies in their handbooks. If you have not read your employee handbook lately, now is the time to dust it off and see if you have a pay secrecy policy buried in the contents. If you have such a policy, it is most […]
It’s déjà vu for Connecticut employers. The Connecticut General Assembly and Governor Malloy have approved the second minimum wage hike in less than a year. Just ten months ago, legislation was passed to increase the minimum wage to $8.70 on January 1, 2014, and $9.00 on January 1, 2015. The new legislation changes the 2015 […]
Non-union employers often think that they do not need to concern themselves with the National Labor Relations Act (the “Act”). This is a misconception. For example, Section 7 of the Act gives employees the right to not only form labor unions and engage in collective bargaining, but also “to engage in other concerted activities for […]
