While the temperature hasn’t felt like summer in Connecticut the last few days, judging by the traffic this morning, there are lots of you on vacation this week.

If you’re one of the (un)lucky ones working this week, perhaps you have a few extra minutes to tackle some projects that have been on the back burner.

In the human resources and employment law arena, here are a few easy steps you can take this week to get yourself into compliance with some easy-to-miss employment laws.

1.  Apply for a Waiver of Weekly Pay Requirement

Connecticut requires that all employees be paid on a weekly basis.  Employers can pay employees on a bi-weekly (or sometimes, semi-monthly) basis only upon receiving approval from the Connecticut Department of Labor.  How so? According to the CTDOL:

A letter or completed request form found on our website should be sent to the Director of Wage and Workplace Standards Division describing the reason for the change and desired frequency. Most employers request a biweekly payroll for hourly employees covered by overtime requirements. A 30‐day notice is required to all affected employees.

Action: Fill out that form (or write the letter) today using this link.

2. Set up Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Connecticut requires all employers of 50 or more employees, to provide ” two hours of training and education to all new supervisory employees of employees in the State of Connecticut within six months of their assumption of a supervisory position.”

What that really means is that most employers should be running sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors twice a year.  In reality, some employers just forget or try to wait until there’s a critical mass.

Action: Contact a provider of sexual harassment prevention training.  The CBIA offers such training on a regular basis and so does my firm, Shipman & Goodwin.  I’ll be doing one on October 2, 2014. I’d love to see you there. 

3. Make Sure Your Payroll Records are Kept Onsite … Or Seek a Waiver

Another overlooked law is the one requiring that employers keep the payroll records at the place of employment. For employers with multi-state locations, this can be a challenge.  As Connecticut states:

Under section 31‐66 of the Connecticut General Statutes, the employer shall maintain for 3 years at the place of employment a record of hours worked and wages paid to each employee. The employer can submit a request through our website or by letter to the Division and permission may be granted to keep records at another location. Out of state businesses may receive permission if the records call [Editor’s Note: “Can?”] be made available within 72 hours.

Fortunately, the Connecticut Department of Labor has a waiver form that can be easily filled out online here.

Action: Check to see where your payroll records are kept. If necessary, seek a waiver from Connecticut Department of Labor.

Just because it’s the Dog Days of Summer doesn’t mean you can’t get anything done. Get to it.