Back in 2021, a change to the state’s unemployment compensation law might have been overlooked. After all, the provisions didn’t go into effect until January 1, 2024.

Alas, the time is now for employers to pay attention.

The state Department of Labor has a whole list of all the changes going into effect but I

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

I suppose that’s the advice parents should be giving to their kids nowadays but it holds true in employment law too.

Take this sample severance agreement that shows up as number one on Google’s search for “severance agreements”.

It’s a terrible agreement.

Yes, it’s simple but it

Lately, I’ve been talking with more employers about permanent reductions in force.

It’s not fun.

And it’s not something I thought we’d be talking about 3 months ago, and yet it’s not foreign to me either.

In fact, I spent several of my earliest posts here on this exact topic. 

As I talk with employers

Without any fanfare, the Connecticut Department of Labor has recently updated their separation packets, that include the so-called “Pink Slips”.

Employers must start using this packet immediately on a going-forward basis.

Previously, there was a category of “layoff” but the new form has eliminated that checkbox, and replaced it with “leave of absence”.  This

Earlier this week, it seemed that a bill requiring employers to conduct additional training on sexual harassment matters was a no-brainer to pass the General Assembly.

After all, Senate Bill 132 passed 31-5 in the state Senate and in this #metoo environment (not to mention local elections in the fall), the House looked to

In years past, I’ve looked at my crystal ball, I’ve read the tea leaves and I’ve even examined my Magic 8-Ball sitting in my office.  (You never know when you need one.)

I’m out of prediction-making tools.

And indeed, since I started doing this, there are now national lawfirms that are offering up

The Dialogue – an occasional discussion between myself and a prominent employee-side attorney, Nina Pirrotti returns today after a late summer hiatus. Today’s chat focuses on employee separations and severance agreements.  Share your own tips or observations in the comments below. As always, my thanks to Nina for sharing her insights here.

Dan: Hi Nina!

Just a quick followup today on a post from last month.

As I reported then, a District Court judge dismissed a closely-watched EEOC lawsuit against CVS challenging a pretty standard severance agreement.  But the grounds for the dismissal were unknown back then.

The wait is over; the written decision was released yesterday.  For

Last week, a story caught my eye and the attention of some of my colleagues.  As reported first by Bloomberg BNA, IBM has stopped providing the comparison information that is typically required in separation agreements for older workers under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act.

You may be wondering how that is possible.  Robin