You would figure after six-plus years of doing this blog, I would’ve covered all the laws applicable to employers. But, perhaps in a testament to how many laws there are, there are still a few out there.

One of them is the Service Contract Act, (Conn. Gen. Stat. 31-57f, for the attorneys out

This is the second in a series of posts on the new Paid Sick Leave Guidance from the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Back in June, I discussed who is a “service worker” under the new Paid Sick Leave law.  It is a detailed list that  includes butchers and bakers but not candlestick makers.

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Remember how I indicated that most of the paid sick leave bill covers only “service workers”? That’s true, but there is a big exception that hasn’t been mentioned much elsewhere.

Indeed, employers who have 50 or more employees should beware: The new Paid Sick Leave bill’s anti-retaliation provisions may cover all employees, not just the

As employers in Connecticut know, state and federal laws differ when it comes to paying overtime. Some employees (like computer professionals) are exempt from overtime obligations under federal law, but not under state law.

The new Paid Sick Leave bill just makes a mess of this distinction even further.

How?

Well, the definition of “service

Senate Bill 913, as amended, contains one of the longest and wordiest definitions you’ll see in employment law.  What is it for? It defines who is a “service worker” and thus potentially covered if the employee is also hourly and non-exempt under federal (not state) law.  (Day and temporary workers are also excluded.).

According to the bill, it means “an employee primarily engaged in an occupation with one of the following broad or detailed occupation code numbers and titles, as defined by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification system or any successor system”

They are as follows (I have removed the code numbers for ease of reading, but they can be found in the bill itself if necessary):

  • Food Service Managers;
  • Medical and Health Services Managers;
  • Social Workers;

    Occupations and Their Codes are More Important Than Ever

  • Social and Human Service Assistants;
  • Community Health Workers;
  • Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other;
  • Librarians;
  • Pharmacists;
  • Physician Assistants;
  • Therapists;
  • Registered Nurses;
  • Nurse Anesthetists;
  • Nurse Midwives;
  • Nurse Practitioners;
  • Dental Hygienists;
  • Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics;
  • Health Practitioner Support Technologists and Technicians;
  • Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses;
  • Home Health Aides;
  • Nursing Aides, Orderlies and Attendants;
  • Psychiatric Aides;
  • Dental Assistants;
  • Medical Assistants;
  • Security Guards;
  • Crossing Guards;
  • Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers;
  • Cooks;
  • Food Preparation Workers;
  • Bartenders;
    Continue Reading Who is a “Service Worker” Under the Paid Sick Leave Bill? Butchers, Bakers, Not Candlestick Makers