On Thursday, February 9, 2017 (weather permitting), the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee will conduct a public hearing on the following proposed bills, many of which concern “wage and hour” issues...more
On Tuesday, January 31, 2017, the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee will conduct a public hearing on the following proposed bills:
Proposed H.B. No. 5151 AN ACT CONCERNING TIMETABLES FOR MUNICIPAL...more
1/30/2017
/ Binding Arbitration ,
Co-payments ,
Drug Testing ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
General Assembly ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Sick Leave Act ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Hearing ,
Wage and Hour
On January 4, the 2017 session of the Connecticut General Assembly began. The session is scheduled to adjourn on June 7, 2017. One can assume that a plethora of proposed bills affecting Connecticut school districts will be...more
On January 4, the 2017 session of the Connecticut General Assembly begins. The session is scheduled to adjourn on June 7, 2017. Numerous proposed bills affecting Connecticut employers and employees will be unleashed during...more
As we have previously written, the United States Departments of Education and Justice issued joint guidance for school districts regarding transgender students via a May 13, 2016 “Dear Colleague Letter.” This guidance was...more
On September 7, 2016, Superior Court Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher issued a lengthy decision in Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell. As its name would suggest, this case involved a challenge to...more
Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] generally permits public agencies to charge for copies (usually, $0.50/page) when complying with FOIA requests. One exception to this fee requirement is that an individual may...more
In our latest posting on the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”], we confirm that the Freedom of Information Commission [“FOIC”] has a heart, and may sometimes forgive technical non-compliance by public agencies and their...more
A prominent portion of Connecticut workplaces provide payment to employees via a bi-weekly pay check, with the weekly pay check almost an anachronism. In addition, many workplaces pay their employees by “direct deposit” of...more
For those who still cannot get enough after my latest post on the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”], here are more nuggets from the Freedom of Information Commission [“FOIC”]. Today, we focus on written notes and calendar...more
Dropping thermometers did not diminish the heated action occurring before Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Commission [“FOIC”]. It should also go without saying that the accompanying snow, ice and other perils of winter...more
The 2016 session of the Connecticut General Assembly has just concluded, along with subsequent “special sessions.” Most prominently from an employment law standpoint, the General Assembly passed (and the Governor signed)...more
6/13/2016
/ Coaches ,
Criminal Records ,
Fair Chance Act ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
General Assembly ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Disputes ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Military Service Members ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Payroll Cards ,
Physicians ,
Private Sector ,
Retirement Plan ,
Unemployment Compensation System ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workers' Compensation Defense
When we last wrote about “Deflategate”, Tom Brady, the National Football League Players Association [“NFLPA”] and New England Patriots fans were basking in the glory of the reversal of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s...more
On May 13, 2016, with much fanfare, the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Education jointly issued a “Dear Colleague Letter” [“DCL”] in order to provide guidance for school districts with...more
5/24/2016
/ Colleges ,
Dear Colleague Letter ,
Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
FERPA ,
Gender Identity ,
Public Schools ,
School Restrooms ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Student Athletes ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender ,
Universities
The General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee was active before its March 17, 2016 deadline for approving bills, voting favorably and advancing many bills out of committee....more
For better or worse, elected municipal officials (such as school board members) are sometimes unable to complete their term of office, and thus boards of education are faced with having to fill vacancies. Here is a brief...more
On Thursday, February 25, 2016, the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee will conduct a public hearing on several proposed bills. One of the bills to be discussed would prevent employers from requiring job...more
On February 3, 2016, the 2016 session of the Connecticut General Assembly began. Adjournment is scheduled for May 4, 2016. One can assume that a plethora of proposed bills affecting Connecticut school districts will be...more
On Tuesday, February 16, 2016, the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee will conduct a public hearing on the following proposed bills...more
On February 3, 2016, the 2016 session of the Connecticut General Assembly began. The session is scheduled to adjourn on May 4, 2016. Numerous proposed bills affecting Connecticut employers and employees will be unleashed...more
Generally, Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] requires that a public agency preparing an agenda/posting for a meeting ensure that each agenda item is specific enough to apprise the public of the action...more
School districts often find themselves in the precarious position of having to rely upon the outcome of a referendum for passage of a budget or building project while simultaneously having no control over the conduct of the...more
Although it is known as the “Sunshine Law,” the idea of summer fun is usually not synonymous with the Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”]. Nevertheless, as we lament the passing of time (and loss of daylight), Connecticut’s...more
Last year, I wrote about an unsuccessful attempt to vacate a puzzling arbitration award that overturned the termination of a school custodian who made threats of violence. In a decision that was officially issued on October...more
10/15/2015
/ Arbitration ,
Arbitration Awards ,
Board of Education ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Disciplinary Proceedings ,
Employee Assistance Programs ,
Employee Rights ,
Grievance Process ,
Harassment ,
Just Cause ,
Public Policy ,
Public Safety ,
Public Sector ,
School Safety ,
School Shootings ,
Termination ,
Unions ,
Vacated ,
Willful Misconduct ,
Workplace Violence
As noted previously, the intersection between Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”] and charter schools has been the source of much noise. Notwithstanding some shrill voices, charter schools have always been...more