Hate Crimes, Schools & Excused Absence from Work

As some of you already know, it is not only immorally wrong to commit a hate crime against houses of worship, religious community centers and other organizations that have a religious affiliation, but is also illegal to do so.  Given the rise of such hate crimes throughout the State of Connecticut, a new bill was Read more about Hate Crimes, Schools & Excused Absence from Work[…]

Military Leave

Connecticut FMLA Extended for Military exigency

Connecticut Family Medical Leave Extended for Military exigency. Many employers are unaware that as of June 7, 2016, the State of Connecticut revised the Family Medical Leave Act to comply with the Federal Family Medical Leave Act, which provides coverage offering employees 16 weeks of leave, over a 24-month period, when a spouse, son, daughter, Read more about Connecticut FMLA Extended for Military exigency[…]

What to do if you do not receive your W2!

Missing your W2? Every year around this time we start receiving phone calls from troubled employees wanting to know what to do if their employer has not sent their W2 form  The following are some suggestions as outlined on the irs.gov website: Contact your employer.   It may be possible that they forgot to mail your Read more about What to do if you do not receive your W2![…]

Office Gossip

FMLA Says Be Quiet!

FMLA:  Disclosing an Employee’s Medical Condition is NOT a Good Idea! In a recent FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) case before the Court, an employee suffered from urinary complications.  Obviously, this was a sensitive medical condition that the employee did not want his peers or employer to know about.  However, because he was required to Read more about FMLA Says Be Quiet![…]

Employers “Reasonable Suspicion” of Drug Use

Prescription marijuana?  Pain medications? Antidepressant?  Do they take you off your game?  If your employer seems to think so, or even merely “suspects” that you are using legal and/or prescription drugs that are affecting your job performance, it now has become much easier for your employer to send you off for a drug test!  A Read more about Employers “Reasonable Suspicion” of Drug Use[…]

Ban the Box on Criminal background checks in Employment

Employers Beware, and Employees be notified that, “Ban the Box” goes into effect as of January 1, 2017.  Ban the Box is a slogan used to describe public act No. 16-83 which has been approved and will amended Connecticut General Statute 31-51i to prohibit employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s prior arrests, criminal charges, Read more about Ban the Box on Criminal background checks in Employment[…]

FMLA or ADA?

  FMLA or ADA?  This issue is a confusing one.  When an employee becomes ill or requests leave to care for a family member, when is it considered Family Medical Leave (FMLA) and when is it considered an accommodation under the American’s with Disability Act (ADA)? In most instances, when it is related to an Read more about FMLA or ADA?[…]

Arrest Records

Using an Employee’s Criminal or Arrest Record May be Discriminatory

Use of Employee’s Criminal or Arrest Record May be Discriminatory In 2012, the EEOC issued a new Guidance outlining how and when an “employer’s use of an individual’s criminal history in making employment decisions may, in some instances, violate the prohibition against employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.”  Just because an Read more about Using an Employee’s Criminal or Arrest Record May be Discriminatory[…]