As we promised previously, we will be keeping you up to date with developments in the General Assembly.  The following is an update as to where we stand on labor and employment related legislation.

Previously, at its  January 15, 2015 meeting, the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee voted to raise the following “concepts” as bills for further consideration:

AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF CREDIT HISTORIES IN EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS

AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTHY WORKPLACES

AN ACT CONCERNING SEVERE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENT AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COVERAGE.

Please note: The decision to draft these items up for consideration is not a sign that these bills will actually be passed by the Committee.

The Committee voted to reserve for a public hearing numerous bills concerning the “prevailing wage.”  Here are the specific prevailing wage bills:

Proposed H.B. No. 5071 AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL TAX RELIEF AND THE FACILITATION OF PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5072 AN ACT CONCERNING MODERNIZATION OF THE PREVAILING WAGE LAWS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5073 AN ACT CONCERNING CHANGES TO THE PREVAILING WAGE.

Proposed H.B. No. 5074 AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PROJECTS AND THE PREVAILING WAGE.

Proposed H.B. No. 5075 AN ACT INCREASING THE PREVAILING WAGE THRESHOLD.

Proposed H.B. No. 5076 AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE PREVAILING WAGE RATE TO SCHOOL AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5078 AN ACT EXEMPTING CERTAIN MUNICIPAL PROJECTS FROM PREVAILING WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5079 AN ACT CONCERNING PREVAILING WAGE THRESHOLDS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5208 AN ACT ADJUSTING THE PREVAILING WAGE THRESHOLDS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5209 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ELIMINATION OF THE PREVAILING WAGE THRESHOLDS.

The public hearing on the prevailing wage bills has yet to be scheduled.

However, the Committee also voted to reserve for a public hearing the following employment-related proposed legislation:

Proposed H.B. No. 5070 AN ACT CONCERNING TIMETABLES FOR MUNICIPAL BINDING ARBITRATION.

Proposed H.B. No. 5080 AN ACT CONCERNING LARGE RETAIL STORES AND EMPLOYMENT OF WORKERS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

Proposed H.B. No. 5210 AN ACT CONCERNING ELIGIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES.

Proposed H.B. No. 5124 AN ACT CONCERNING CONSECUTIVE WORKDAYS AND HOLIDAY PAY.

Proposed H.B. No. 5211 AN ACT CONCERNING UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES AND ARBITRATION DECISION TIMELINES.

Proposed H.B. No. 5265 AN ACT CONCERNING MINIMUM LONGEVITY REQUIREMENTS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

Proposed H.B. No. 5267 AN ACT CREATING AN EMPLOYERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS.

The public hearing on these proposed bills will now take place on Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 12:00 P.M. in Room 1B of the Legislative Office Building.  In addition to the above-mentioned proposed bills, Senate Bill No. 593 (Raised) “AN ACT CONCERNING SEVERE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENT AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COVERAGE” will also be a subject of the public hearing.

As we indicated previously, the 2015 session of the Connecticut General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on June 3, 2015.  The deadline for the Labor and Public Employees Committeeto approve and “forward” bills out of Committee is March 17, 2015. Bills affecting labor and employment issues may also emerge from other committees (such as the Judiciary Committee). Stay tuned.