It’s back to school time so inevitably, the national press is reporting on a so-called trend of employers trying to coerce, cajole, encourage employees to come back to the office.

In some industries and locations, it is working. But in Connecticut, it’s more of a mixed bag.

Indeed, I commented about this in

In January 2021, I wrote about the potential for a new wave of lawsuits that employers needed to pay attention to — lawsuits (and criminal charges) based on antitrust law.  In that post, I highlighted a little-noticed case in which the U.S. Department of Justice had indicted a Texas company for its no poaching agreements

As I’ve hinted in some prior posts, my colleagues and I have been working on an all-new labor & employment webinar series for this fall. Today, I get to announce it.

This webinar series will feature in-depth legal insights and practical takeaways for human resource professionals as well as business stakeholders and decision makers on

Yesterday, Governor Lamont announced a major series of rollbacks of COVID-19-related restrictions for businesses. We’re still getting all the details, but for employers, the key thing to understand first with all the rollbacks is that certain things are not being rolled back.

  • Face coverings and masks continue to be required
  • Bars that only serve

Yesterday, Governor Lamont announced a sweeping change to the way that vaccinations will be distributed in Connecticut. Previously, it was anticipated that workers in essential businesses would receive the vaccines next.  Many businesses started plans for the eventuality.

That plan was thrown out.

Instead, the governor announced a new age-based plan.  It’s simple and straightforward

Back at the start of 2020, I declined to do my usual prognosticating for the year ahead.

That was probably wise given the events of the year.

Instead, I quoted a post I did ten years earlier:

For employers, there will always been the next case or new law that will need to be tracked

Early on in this pandemic, I co-authored a post with ADNET Technologies’ Christopher Luise regarding the possibility of digital contact tracing for COVID-19.  I recapped it in a post here as well. 

That possibility is now a reality in Connecticut with the state turning “on” the COVID-19 exposure notification system.

First an explanation. As

After releasing the reopening guidelines for businesses earlier this week, the state has updated its website to include a new online certification that employers must complete before reopening the physical workplace.

You can find the reopening certification here.

As the website indicates:

Business [sic] must self-certify and commit to comply with the Sector Rules

“Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs”.  

Sounds like a plan for reopening businesses in Connecticut next week, right?

Well, that quote is from Bruce Willis’s character in one of my favorite movies, Die Hard. It might also be in peril if you are the same age as Bruce Willis

Updated 10:15a, May 9, 2020

Late Friday afternoon, Governor Lamont announced that Phase I reopenings will occur as soon as May 20, 2020.  These will include “non-essential” offices that had been closed, restaurants, retail stores and hair salons.  Early on Saturday, we also got all the detailed rules that will need to be met to