Employers in Connecticut and New York who thought they had a solid handle on religious accommodation law just got a new wrinkle. Last week, the Second Circuit adopted a new prima facie standard for failure-to-accommodate-religion claims under Title VII. The decision vacates summary judgment for an employee who was terminated for refusing to comply with
Connecticut employers have just a few months to prepare for sweeping new workplace laws taking effect this fall.
In this episode of From Lawyer to Employer, host Dan Schwartz is joined by Shipman attorney Sarah Niemiroski to break down the most significant employment law changes from the 2026 Connecticut legislative session. Together, they discuss
Late Friday, the General Assembly gave final approval SB 5, now rebranded as the Connecticut Artificial Intelligence Responsibility and Transparency Act. It is a wide-ranging “online safety” and artificial intelligence (AI) bill with several provisions that directly affect hiring and employers. Governor Lamont has confirmed he plans to sign it. The bill includes staggered
When a workplace issue arises, one of the first questions is who should handle the investigation – and whether it’s time to bring in outside counsel. In this episode of From Lawyer to Employer, Shipman partners Dan Schwartz and Sarah Westby walk through the key considerations, from independence and scope to privilege and deliverables
With the General Assembly set to adjourn on May 6, 2026, several high‑impact workplace proposals remain in play that could reshape compliance programs and day‑to‑day operations for Connecticut employers.
Many of these measures recycle past efforts, expand private litigation risk, and layer on new reporting and pay mandates. These challenges hit small and mid‑sized employers
If you manage employees across multiple states — or even just here in Connecticut — you already know that noncompete law is anything but simple. With all fifty states and Washington, D.C. regulating noncompetes in some form, compliance has become a logistical challenge, particularly for multi-state employers. Some states ban them outright. Others limit them
What happens when a Chief Human Resources Officer steps beyond traditional HR and takes on operations, facilities, communications, and more?
In this episode of From Lawyer to Employer, host Daniel Schwartz sits down with veteran HR leader Jeanine Reckdenwald to explore what it really takes to move from functional expertise to enterprise leadership.
Jeanine
Generative AI is quickly becoming part of the legal toolkit but the ethical obligations of lawyers haven’t changed. In this episode of From Lawyer to Employer, host Dan Schwartz sits down with Shipman attorney Claire Pariano to explore how generative AI is reshaping legal practice and what in-house counsel need to know to stay
Arbitration clauses are everywhere in today’s workplace — but are they right for your organization?
In this episode of From Lawyer to Employer, host Dan Schwartz is joined by Shipman attorney Emily McDonough Souza to break down arbitration agreements in plain English. They explore the real pros and cons: speed, privacy, predictability, cost concerns
In a significant decision for Connecticut employers, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in Del Rio v. Amazon.com Services, Inc. (SC 21109) that employees must be compensated for time spent undergoing mandatory security screenings on their employer’s premises. The unanimous decision establishes that Connecticut wage laws are more protective than federal law on this issue.