So, here we are again.

Yesterday, by a 6-4 margin, the Labor & Public Employee’s Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly approved a bill (S.B. 63) that would mandate that employers with 50 or more employees provide five sick days to its workforce.  The vote was largely along party lines.

Various blogs and media outlets have the recap of the legislative happenings this morning including the Courant, the CBIA’s Inside the Capitol blog, and CT News Junkie.  Because the measure passed committee last year, it hardly comes as a big surprise.

The CBIA has been lobbying hard against the bill; last year, the bill’s sponsors were a vote or two shy of passage in the Senate.  It’s difficult to think that much has changed.

The CBIA has pointed out that “Connecticut would be the first state in the nation to impose such a mandate, but that hasn’t slowed supporters of the bill, many of whom have said that jobs is the top issue this session. Unfortunately, adding a new mandate onto employers is the wrong way to go if you’re serious about job creation and retention.”

It is worth mentioning that the bill would go beyond the traditional notions of a “sick day” as well and allow for time off in instances where the employee is a victim of “family violence” or “sexual assault”.

Employers in Connecticut should keep a close eye on this measure as it moves along in the legislative process.