On January 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a final rule (“Final Rule”) defining the term independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), rescinding the previous definition of independent contractor outlined in 2021 (“2021 Rule”). The Final Rule establishes a six-factor test based on the economic reality of the worker
Laws and Regulations
Recap of Employment Laws Passed in Connecticut’s 2023 General Assembly Session
Connecticut’s 2023 General Assembly concluded last week. But for the first time in many years, many of the major pieces of legislation in the labor and employment area did not pass. In fact, the legislative session will ultimately be thought of for the bills that died on the floor, rather than for the bills that passed. …
No Blank Space In Case Law On Handling FMLA Abuse
A Law360 Article, reprinted by permission. Download printable PDF.
Just like you can’t spell awesome without “me,” you can’t take Family and Medical Leave Act leave without some conditions. Employers and employees alike should know all too well that one of those conditions is that the FMLA leave should be genuine. FMLA abuse…
Separation Agreements Have Their Own Legal Rules
For employers considering layoffs—as several in the tech sector have announced recently—there are multiple factors to consider to reduce exposure to lawsuits.
For example, employers may wish to examine whether the proposed layoff will have a disparate impact on a protected group.
But employers can also reduce their exposure to lawsuits by providing severance agreements…
Connecticut Employers Subject to Revised CTFMLA Regulations
Recently the Connecticut Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued new regulations under the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act (“CTFMLA”). As detailed below, the new regulations explain the expanded coverage of the revised CTFMLA to a larger number of Connecticut employers and provide broadened benefits to covered employees. While some of the changes merely mirror the…
Reminder: Cannabis Workplace Provisions Go Into Effect July 1
A friendly reminder to employers that provisions of Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis statute concerning the use of cannabis in the workplace go into effect on July 1, 2022. We published a detailed article about what the cannabis statute means for employers last year. With the effective date of those provisions quickly approaching, now is the perfect…
Connecticut Legislative Update 2022: New Laws Impacting Public and Private Employers
Over the past few weeks, Governor Lamont signed several bills that will impact public and private employers in several ways. While there are other bills that will take effect in October 2022, and subsequently in 2023, we have summarized below the bills that have effective dates July 1, 2022 and earlier.
Senate Bill 163 becomes…
Department of Justice Issues New Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA
On March 18, 2022, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued new Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA (the “Guidance”). The Guidance provides considerations for state and local governments, schools, and businesses to keep in mind when ensuring that their websites comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Indeed, the DOJ has consistently taken…
Connecticut DOL Releases Final Draft of Proposed Amended Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations
For months, employers have been eagerly awaiting updated regulations that address the revisions to the Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Act. At last, on March 22, 2022, the Connecticut Department of Labor (“CT DOL”) released its final proposed amended CTFMLA regulations, answering questions that had remained unanswered by the revised law. Indeed, the proposed regulations…
Virtual Seminar | Legal Update for the Public Sector: 2022 Legal Trends
Join us once again for our annual public sector virtual seminar! On May 5th we will host a two-hour virtual program featuring a general session and four roundtable breakouts on timely legal topics of interest to public sector employers.
We invite you to register for our General Session and the Roundtable Breakout Session of…