It is a common practice for employers to conduct exit interviews with departing employees. Without even discussing employment law issues (not to mention issues over the appropriate roles and responsibilities for school...more
10/11/2022
/ Connecticut ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Rights ,
FERPA ,
FOIA ,
FOIC ,
Former Employee ,
Invasion of Privacy ,
Personnel Records ,
Protected Disclosures ,
Public Agencies ,
Records Request ,
Reputation Management
As reflected in our firm’s legislative update, Developments from the 2022 Session of the Connecticut General Assembly: New Laws Affective the Schools (and Public Employers): Pullman & Comley (pullcom.com), a number of public...more
The 2022 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on May 4, 2022. The following is a brief description of acts that were passed by the General Assembly that may be of interest to Connecticut’s K-12...more
8/18/2022
/ Connecticut ,
Education Reform ,
FOIA ,
General Assembly ,
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) ,
Mental Health ,
Omnibus Guidance ,
Public Acts ,
Public Schools ,
School Lunch Programs ,
Special Education ,
Students
We had originally written about employment-related legislation from the 2022 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly in the aftermath of the conclusion of the session. The Aftermath: Developments from the 2022...more
8/18/2022
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Connecticut ,
Employee Benefits ,
Free Speech ,
General Assembly ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Reform ,
Prevailing Wages ,
Public Acts ,
Retirement ,
State Labor Laws ,
Voting Rights ,
Wage and Hour
The 2022 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on May 4, 2022. The following is a brief description of acts that were passed by the General Assembly that may be of interest to Connecticut’s K-12...more
8/15/2022
/ Community Development ,
Connecticut ,
Economic Development ,
Education Reform ,
General Assembly ,
Mental Health ,
New Legislation ,
Public Employees ,
Public Employers ,
Public Schools ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
School Transportation ,
Students
On April 28, 2022, Governor Lamont signed Public Act 22-3, which makes permanent changes to Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) so as to preserve the ability of public agencies (such as school boards) to conduct...more
The 2022 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on May 4, 2022. While not as groundbreaking as the two last full legislative sessions, and while many far-reaching bills that emerged from committee were...more
6/22/2022
/ Connecticut ,
Domestic Violence ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Free Speech ,
General Assembly ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Reform ,
Non-Discrimination Rules ,
Pending Legislation ,
Prevailing Wages ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Wage and Hour
We have written about the General Assembly’s Education Committee’s final flurry of activity of approving and advancing bills out of committee. In addition to the bills that we have already summarized, here is a brief summary...more
We have written about the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee’s final flurry of activity of approving and advancing bills out of committee. In addition to the bills that we have already summarized, here...more
4/22/2022
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Connecticut ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Rights ,
General Assembly ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
Over-Time ,
Public Employees ,
Quotas ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workers' Compensation Claim
In our last post, I summarized part of the General Assembly’s Education Committee’s final flurry of approved bills advancing bills out of committee. In addition to the bills that we have already summarized, here is a brief...more
4/22/2022
/ Charter Schools ,
Connecticut ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Grants ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Special Education ,
State Budgets ,
State Funding ,
Students
The General Assembly’s Education Committee likely finished up its work for this legislative session and has approved a plethora of bills. Here is a summary of these bills (which now await action by the full General...more
4/22/2022
/ Connecticut ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Financial Literacy ,
General Assembly ,
Mental Health ,
Minor Children ,
Pending Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Remote Learning ,
School Districts ,
Students ,
Teachers
We have written about the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee’s final flurry of activity of approving and advancing bills out of committee. In addition to the bills that we have already summarized, here...more
4/22/2022
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Connecticut ,
Employment Discrimination ,
General Assembly ,
Holidays ,
Labor Reform ,
Prevailing Wages ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
Following its initial action, (Latest Developments from the Connecticut General Assembly: The Labor and Public Employees Committee Begins to Speak), the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee likely finished...more
4/15/2022
/ Collective Bargaining ,
Connecticut ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
General Assembly ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Labor Laws ,
Union Elections ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
Work Schedules
At its March 10, 2022 meeting, the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee began the process of approving bills. The following is a brief summary of the bills that the Committee voted favorably on and...more
3/16/2022
/ Collective Bargaining ,
Connecticut ,
Employee Benefits ,
General Assembly ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Reform ,
Layoffs ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Pensions ,
Public Employees ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workers Compensation Awards
We have written repeatedly in these pages about the status of statewide masking and employee vaccination mandates for Connecticut schools (both public and private) schools. ...more
2/18/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Last week, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed (as amended) House Bill 5047 (“An Act Concerning The Extension Of Certain Executive Orders And Department Of Public Health Authority”)....more
2/14/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Legislatures ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Workplace Safety
We have written repeatedly in these pages about statewide masking and employee vaccination mandates for Connecticut schools (both public and private) via Executive Orders from Governor Ned Lamont. While on February 15, 2022,...more
2/9/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Connecticut law has required public and private schools to condition a student’s entry into school upon providing proof of immunizations against certain communicable diseases (including but not limited to diphtheria,...more
1/17/2022
/ Article III ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Educational Institutions ,
Eleventh Amendment ,
Fifth Amendment ,
First Amendment ,
Fourteenth Amendment ,
Fourth Amendment ,
Free Exercise Clause ,
Immunization Exemptions ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Exemption ,
Right to Privacy ,
Sovereign Immunity ,
Standing ,
Students ,
Vaccinations
In my last column, The FOIA and the Pandemic: New (temporary?) Provisions on “Remote” and “Hybrid” Meetings for Public Agencies, I provided a summary of the “budget implementer” bill that amended Connecticut’s Freedom of...more
The “budget implementer” bill that was passed in June amends Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), preserving, at least temporarily, elements of pandemic-era Executive Orders concerning “remote” and “hybrid”...more
On September 10, 2021, Governor Lamont issued Executive Order 13G, which set forth a revised COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Connecticut school employees (and childcare facilities). As my colleague, Melinda Kaufmann noted,...more
9/21/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Private Schools ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Schools ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On Friday, August 27, 2021, approximately 200 people joined us for a webinar on issues faced by Connecticut schools as they reopen this fall during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We covered topics such as mask mandates,...more
9/1/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
School Policies ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On Wednesday, August 25, 2021, the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) issued “Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Vaccinations for Covered Workers in Schools.” This guidance from the SDE addresses Governor Ned...more
8/27/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Screening Procedures ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On August 19, 2021, the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) issued its much awaited “Adapt Advance Achieve” guidance on COVID-19 mitigation strategies for Connecticut’s schools for the fall of 2021. This year’s...more
8/24/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Safety Standards ,
Students ,
Workplace Safety
Recently, my law partner, Zachary D. Schurin, wrote about Governor Lamont latest/revised Executive Order – Executive Order #13A– concerning the wearing of masks (and/or other cloth facial coverings). While Executive Order...more
8/16/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Private Schools ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Schools ,
Workplace Safety