In a non-election year, the Connecticut legislature always seems to be extra busy considering workplace-related bills.
This year is no exception. If anything, it feels like it’s hit another gear. CTNewsJunkie had a detailed article yesterday about the subject.
The Labor & Public Employees Committee has considered, and is considering, a wide array of bills that would fundamentally change certain industries and create a broad range of new benefits for employees.
Just this week alone, the Committee held a hearing on bills such as predictive scheduling which would require employers to provide advanced notice of workplace schedules, eliminating the tip credit at restaurants, expanding paid sick days to all private-sector employers, revising the paid sick days to expand the reasons someone can take a “sick” day, expanding coverage of Connecticut’s paid family medical leave, changing the rules for so-called “gig” workers, and more.
This is on top of the other bills that have previously been considered including one to be drafted that would prohibit employers from mandating an employee work more than six consecutive days without a day off. Another bill would provide unemployment benefits for striking workers.
On the more encouraging side for employers, one of the other bills under consideration would repeal several existing laws without comment under the notion that they are “obsolete”, such as laws providing for toilet accommodations on tobacco plantations, certain workplace safety reporting laws, a law that prohibits employers from conditioning employment on the sterilization of an employee, a law on regulations on feet safety in workplaces, laws regarding an Individual Development Account program from 2000.
For employers, the CBIA has been tracking a lot of these bills and regularly updates its website with the latest here.
It’s still early in the session; bills are still being considered by committee and it’s not yet clear what will ultimately come before the Senate and House for a vote.
But for employers, this will be a session to keep tabs on.