BREAKING NEWS: Connecticut Attorney General Investigating Company Charging for Free Posters
Yesterday, I broke the story about Progressive Business Compliance charging money for a free poster for a state and then highlighted the company's website which made certain representations about the state of the law in Connecticut.
In my post yesterday, I indicated that one of my colleagues had received some marketing materials that suggested there were new requirements and that the company's website had indicated it was now effective February 2008.
I received an e-mail shortly after my post from Kevin Lembo, of Connecticut's Office of Healthcare Advocate, indicating that action would be announced soon relating to the poster and the company. (He also posted a comment to the blog indicating that the poster that I made available yesterday was indeed the state-mandated poster.)
HartfordBusiness.com now confirms that the Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has opened an investigation against Progressive Business Compliance and other companies that market these types of workplace posters.
According to the HBJ, Blumenthal has issued a press release stating the following:
PBC deserves a state warning poster of its own about consumer protection laws... Deliberately deceiving consumers into purchasing posters - through false claims about legal requirements or a company's government affiliation - is plainly prohibited by our consumer protection laws.
This is a welcome step. As companies in Connecticut are aware, Blumenthal has a knack for going after companies he perceives as violating the law.
I should be getting some additional information from the State later today and will issue a followup when warranted.
