Connecticut employers must begin paying $9.15 per hour to their employees on January 1, 2015 as part of legislation designed to raise the state minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2017. For restaurant waitstaff who receive sufficient gratuities, the employer must pay $5.78 per hour under the new minimum wage, but the employee must […]
For employers, preparing for winter weather includes ensuring all employees are paid properly on snow days. Many employers are surprised to learn that their payroll does not take a snow day when their employees do. While snow days are probably the most common application of the principles discussed in this article, these rules apply to […]
This is Part 1 in a 6-part series on Connecticut Employment Laws You Didn’t Know Existed. Do you pay your employees at least weekly? If you answered no, you are in good company. Bi-weekly pay (paying employees every two weeks) is probably the most common choice of pay frequency. However, a quirky feature of Connecticut’s wage payment […]
As summer approaches, many companies are beginning to hire students to work as unpaid interns. While unpaid internships are a time-honored tradition, they are almost always illegal in the for-profit world. Typically, the so-called “intern” is actually an employee who must be paid minimum wage and, if applicable, overtime. Depending on state law, Workers’ Compensation […]
The Obama Administration’s goal of increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 has for the moment stalled in the Senate. A Republican led filibuster has all but killed the President’s hopes of signing the Bill, which would increase the minimum wage by the November mid-term elections. Senate Republicans, citing concerns about the effects that an increase on […]
Every employer in the United States must post at least some labor law notices. Many state and federal employment laws come with such a requirement. While different posters are needed for different situations (for example, based on the employer’s size or industry), no employer is exempt from posting at all. It may be obvious that […]
A recent speech by Labor Secretary Thomas Perez at the IAFF conference provided some details about the changes to the managerial exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Significantly, Secretary Perez reiterated that the current salary threshold of $455 is inadequate and that the primary duties test creates an employer friendly “loophole” that is used to […]
Are your employees prohibited from discussing their wages? Many employers have such policies in their handbooks. If you have not read your employee handbook lately, now is the time to dust it off and see if you have a pay secrecy policy buried in the contents. If you have such a policy, it is most […]
It’s déjà vu for Connecticut employers. The Connecticut General Assembly and Governor Malloy have approved the second minimum wage hike in less than a year. Just ten months ago, legislation was passed to increase the minimum wage to $8.70 on January 1, 2014, and $9.00 on January 1, 2015. The new legislation changes the 2015 […]
A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the issues that arise when employer investigations produce false information and/or confessions. Usually, these situations occur because the person conducting the investigation is employing a technique that is not tailored to the work environment or is using a best practice that is outdated due to changes in […]
