Latest News for Connecticut HR Professionals

 

• Sick Pay:  CT Legislature Will be After it Again:  The Hartford Courant says that once again forcing Connecticut employers to give paid sick leave to their workers will be an issue in the state Legislature’s law-making session of 2010.

Source:  Hartford Courant.  For further information on this topic, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 08 February.

 

• Norwalk:  Employer to Lay-off 165:  The Connecticut Labor Department says Beiersdorf, Inc. will lay off 165 workers starting April 1; the company is closing.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic, see the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Groton:  Employer to Lay-off 434: The Connecticut Labor Department says Electric Boat of Groton will lay off 434 workers between 4/2 and 4/30; the company is not closing down.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic, read about the WARN Act in the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Waiting Periods for Paid Holiday Benefits:  New employees most typically become eligible to participate in their employer’s paid holiday benefit program from the day of hire.  They may have to work at least the day before the paid holiday [and perhaps the day after] to be paid, but for 64% of responding firms, employees get paid holidays right off the bat.  On the other hand, some employees have to work for as long as 120 days before receiving pay for a holiday not worked. 

Source:  CTHRR’s Quick Surveys.  For further information on this topic, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 18 January.

 

• Danbury:  Employer to Layoff 70: The Connecticut Labor Department says Pyramid Acquisition II Management, LLC of Danbury will lay off 70 workers on or about 29 March; the company is not closing down completely.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic, read about the WARN Act in the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut:  Only 3 New Swine Flu Cases:  In its report of February 2, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 0.a% in reported H1N1 cases statewide; this is down from 1.22% in the prior week’s report. 

Source:  CTDPH.  For further information on this topic, including a breakdown of H1N1 cases by Connecticut County, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 08 February.

 

• U.S. Initial UC Claims Up 8k:  the week ending Jan. 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial Unemployment Compensation claims was 480,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 472,000.

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 08 February.

 

• Pawcatuck:  OSHA Proposes to Fine Employer $90.5k: “The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Fibrelite for 21 alleged violations of workplace safety standards at its Pawcatuck, Conn., plant. The manufacturer of composite manhole covers faces a total of $90,500 in proposed fines, chiefly for potential fire and explosion hazards.”

Source:  OSHA.  For further information on this topic see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 01 February.

 

• Payrolls Grew in December…:  But not as rapidly as in November.  Private wage and salary disbursements increased $6.3 billion in December, compared with an increase of $25.1 billion in November.  Goods-producing industries' payrolls decreased $5.2 billion, in contrast to an increase of $2.9 billion; manufacturing payrolls decreased $2.2 billion, in contrast to an increase of $3.5 billion.  Services-producing industries' payrolls increased $11.5 billion, compared with an increase of $22.3 billion.  Government wage and salary disbursements increased $2.9 billion, compared with an increase of $1.8 billion.

Source:  USDOC.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Payment of Wages, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut:  Number of New Swine Flu Cases Slows Even Further:  In its report of January 26, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 1.2% in reported H1N1 cases statewide; this is down from 2% in the prior week’s report. 

Source:  CTDPH.  For further information on this topic, including a breakdown of H1N1 cases by Connecticut County, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 01 February.

 

• Connecticut Online Job Ads Up 15% in January:   Total online job ads in Connecticut were 65,100 last month, an increase of 17.5%% from a year ago and 15.4% from 56,400 in the prior month, according to The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series™. 

Source:  The Conference Board.  For further information on this topic see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 01 February.

 

• USDOL to Issue Rules Requiring Parity in Treatment of Mental, Substance Use Disorders:  The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury will jointly issue new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders.

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic see our Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 01 February.

 

• Union Membership in Connecticut:  In 2009, six states had union membership rates below 5.0 percent in 2009, with North Carolina having the lowest rate (3.1 percent). The next lowest rates were recorded in Arkansas (4.2 percent), South Carolina (4.5 percent), Georgia (4.6 percent), Virginia (4.7 percent), and Mississippi (4.8 percent).

Four states had union membership rates over 20.0 percent in 2009--New York (25.2 percent), Hawaii (23.5 percent), Alaska  (22.3 percent), and Washington (20.2 percent). 

At 17.3%, Connecticut ranked 9th in the nation in percent of workforce that are members of unions.

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Unions, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Education/Heath Services Only Connecticut Sector to Add Jobs: In December, the one sector to add jobs - educational and health services - added 1,300. All other sectors remained unchanged or lost jobs. The biggest employment decline was found in trade, transportation and utilities, down 1,900 jobs with most of this in retail businesses. The leisure and hospitality sector lost 1,700 jobs while other services and government were down 700 and 600 jobs, respectively. The information and professional and business sectors each lost 400, followed by construction, which had the smallest job loss, with 200 jobs. The manufacturing and financial activities sectors were mostly unchanged over the month. Since the beginning of the recession in March 2008, Connecticut has lost 94,500 jobs, representing an overall employment decline of 5.5 percent..

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Hiring, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Mass Layoffs in December: Nationally, employers took 1,726 mass layoff actions in December that resulted in the separation of 153,127 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month..

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic including data for Connecticut and nearby states, see our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of February 1.

 

• Connecticut’s Hours and Earnings in December: The manufacturing production workweek, not seasonally adjusted, averaged 41.3 hours, down 0.4 hours from the December 2008 figure of 41.7 hours. Average hourly earnings at $23.47, not seasonally adjusted, were up $1.51 from a year ago this time when the number was $21.96. This resulted in an average weekly wage for manufacturing of $969.31, up $53.58, which is an increase of approximately 5.9 percent over the year.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Wage & Salary Administration, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut’s Labor Market Areas: Job gains were found in just one of the six major Labor Market Areas (LMAs) between November and December, with the New Haven LMA adding 400 jobs. Hartford, the largest LMA, lost the most jobs – 3,900, while Bridgeport-Stamford shed 1,300 jobs. Norwich-New London was down by 800 jobs, Danbury 600 jobs, and Waterbury lost 300.

Unemployment rates and the number of unemployed people, not seasonally adjusted, were up over the year in all of the state’s nine labor market areas in December 2009. Danbury had the lowest unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, followed by Bridgeport-Stamford at 7.8 percent, and Norwich-New London at 8.1 percent. Waterbury had the highest unemployment rate at 11.7 percent.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Employment and Unemployment in Connecticut: The state’s nonfarm employment in December was 1,614,900, a decrease of 4,800 jobs from the revised November 2009 figure of 1,619,700. On a seasonally adjusted basis, this is a decrease of 59,000 jobs from the December 2008 total of 1,673,900.

The estimate of people unemployed increased in December 2009 by 12,300 to 167,900, while the unemployment rate increased from the November 2009 rate of 8.2 percent to 8.9 percent.  In comparison with the state’s December 2008 unemployment rate of 6.6 percent, this month’s unemployment number represents an increase of 2.3 percentage points over the year. The number of people unemployed increased by 43,100 from last year at this time. Average weekly initial unemployment claims in December 2009 for first-time filers decreased over the month by 707 to 4,828, and were down 9.8 percent, or 526 claims from last year.

Source:  CTDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Women’s Wages 81% Those of Men: Median weekly earnings of the nation's 98.7 million full-time wage and salary workers were $748 in the fourth quarter of 2009. This was 2.7 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.4 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $670 per week, or 81.2 percent of the $825 median for men.

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Equal Pay, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• U.S. Initial UC Claims Jump 36k: In the week ending Jan. 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 482,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 446,000. The 4-week moving average was 448,250, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 441,250.

Source:  USDOL.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Employers Say Workforces Stabilizing: CTHRR asked 141 participating Connecticut employers whether or not they expected their number of employees to grow or shrink during the coming 12 months. 

Only 26% of respondents indicated they expect workforce expansion; however, this is up 10% last March. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they currently have open jobs they’re trying to fill.  Of these, 43% told us they were having difficulty recruiting satisfactory applicants.

Source:  CTHRR Quick Surveys    For complete details on the results of this survey, please see our Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of January 18^th.

 

• OSHA 300A Form Reminder: Employers need to post their Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) where employees can see it from February 1 to April 30 each year.

Source:  CTHRR.  For further information on this topic see the section on: OSHA, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• M.L. King Jr. Day: CTHRR's annual Special Holiday Survey reported in our August Connecticut HR Reports Newsletter that 24% of Connecticut employers will close for a paid holiday today.

Source:  CTHRR.  For further information on this topic see the section on: Holidays, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Swine Flu Cases: In its report of January 12, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 2.6% in reported H1N1 cases statewide…this is up from 1.1% in the prior week.

Further details, including a county-by-county breakdown, are in the next issue of our CT HR Reports eNewsletter.  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Cost-of-Living: December Consumer Price Index:   The USDOL updated the CPI data today.  We report these numbers on our website:  Login and go to "Stats, Reports, & Forecasts."  

For further information on this topic see the section on: Consumer Price Index, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• U.S. Initial UC Claims Up 11k:  In the week ending Jan. 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 444,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 433,000. 

 

• COBRA Model Notice:  The Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration COBRA page now has available model notices updated for the extension provisions of the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.

Source:  http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRAmodelnotice.html.

 

• U.S. Rate of Employee Turnover was 2.8% in November:  The turnover rate dropped in the U.S. to 2.8% in the latest report [not seasonally adjusted], from 3.4% the prior month; layoffs and discharges also fell slightly.

Source:  USDOL  • More detailed information on this topic, including a breakdown of turnover data by industry and annualize turnover rates, appears in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 18 January.

 

• Employment Picture Continued Bleak in Metro Areas Nationwide in November:  Unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in all 372 major metropolitan areas reported by the USDOL. Seventeen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15 percent, while 13 areas registered rates below 5 percent.

            The national unemployment rate in November was 9.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.5 percent a year earlier.

            125 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 21 areas a year earlier; while 80 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 255 areas in November 2008.

Source:  USDOL  • More detailed information on this topic, including a breakdown of unemployment data for major labor markets in Connecticut, appears in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 11 January.

 

• Connecticut Online Job Ads Up 6% in December: Total online job ads in Connecticut were 56,400 last month, a decrease of 6.3% from a year ago but up 6.2% from 53,100 in the prior month, according to The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series™.  Hartford [the only Connecticut city for which data are available] saw online job ads fall 1.5% from last month’s report.

Source:  The Conference Board  • More detailed information on this topic can be found in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 11 January.

 

• Bottom of Jobs Loss Not Yet Reached: Nonfarm payroll employment edged down (-85,000) in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 10.0 percent. Employment fell in construction, manufacturing, and wholesale trade, while temporary help services and health care added jobs.

            In December, both the number of unemployed persons, at 15.3 million, and the unemployment rate, at 10.0 percent, were unchanged. At the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons was 7.7 million, and the unemployment rate was 5.0 percent.

Source:  USDOL  • More detailed information on this topic will appear in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 11 January.

 

• EEOC Charge Statistics Show Increase in Disability Claims: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that 93,277 workplace discrimination charges were filed with the federal agency nationwide during Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, the second highest level ever, and monetary relief obtained for victims totaled over $376 million.  The greatest increase in charges from FY08-09 was in disability-related claims which rose by more than ten percent. Age-related claims dropped by seven percent.

Source:  EEOC   • More detailed information on this topic will appear in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 11 January.

 

• U.S. Initial UC Claims Up 1k:  In the week ending Jan. 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 433,000. The 4-week moving average was 450,250, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week's revised average of 460,500.

 

• Employment Projections for Major Industries:  “Service-providing sectors are projected to generate almost all of the employment gain from 2008 to 2018.

            “Two of these sectors—professional and business services and health care and social assistance services—are expected to generate 8.2 million jobs over the period, more than half the increase in total employment. Projected employment growth in the leisure and hospitality sector and in the State and local government sector will contribute an additional 2.7 million jobs by 2018.

            “Employment declines are projected in only one service-providing sector—utilities—where employment is expected to decline by 59,000 jobs over the period.

            “Within the goods-producing sectors, the only sector projected to show employment growth over the projection period is construction, which is expected to add 1.3 million jobs and reach 8.6 million by 2018.

            “The job gains in the construction sector will be almost entirely offset by the projected 1.2-million decline in manufacturing employment during the 2008–18 period. The manufacturing sector’s seemingly large employment loss still represents a contrast to what was experienced during the previous decade when the sector lost 4.1 million jobs. Employment in mining is projected to decline 103,800 from its 2008 level.”

Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Hiring ∙ Recruiting, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Wage & Hour Law: Ron Marquis, Assistant Director for the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Division of Wage & Workplace Standards, will discuss maintaining accurate employee records, properly scheduling meal and break periods, and knowing which employees are exempt during a Feb. 5 breakfast seminar sponsored by the agency’s Office of Program Policy. Titled The Essentials of Wage & Hour Law, the session runs from 8 to 11 a.m. at the department’s Wethersfield office, 200 Folly Brook Blvd.

The registration fee, due by Jan. 29, is $25. Registration applications and checks should be sent to Kathy Marioni, Connecticut Department of Labor, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109.  Registration forms can be obtained on the agency’s Web site at while individuals with questions can contact Kathy via email at kathleen.marioni@ct.gov or by phone at (860) 263-6755. Persons needing special accommodations are requested to contact the agency at least one week prior to the event.

Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the sections on: Records, Hours of Work, Overtime, Rest Periods, and Exempt Employees, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Swine Flu Cases: In its report of December 29, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 5.4% in reported H1N1 cases statewide…this is down from 10% in the prior week.

Further details, including a county-by-county breakdown, are in the next issue of our CT HR Reports eNewsletter.  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Minimum Wage Re-Reminder: The minimum wage in Connecticut increased to from $8.00 to $8.25 per hour as of January 1, 2010.

Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Minimum Wage, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Unemployment Compensation: What’s the most money one can collect in UC benefits in Connecticut?  The maximum UC benefit one can receive is $537.00 per week.  But, there’s an additional dependency allowance of $15.00 for a non-working spouse, each child up to age 18 (21 if a full-time student), or physically or mentally handicapped child of any age, up to a maximum allowance of $75.00.

For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut: 5 Mass Layoffs in November:  In November, Connecticut employers took 5 mass layoff actions, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month.  Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 424. The number of mass layoff events this month was down by 4 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial claims dropped by 247. Over the year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 2, and associated initial claims increased by 238.

Further details, including a national and adjacent-state breakdown, are in the next issue of our CT HR Reports eNewsletter.  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Where Was the Job Growth in Connecticut? In November, the professional and business services sector saw the biggest employment decline, shedding 2,000 jobs. The construction and manufacturing sectors were each down by 700 jobs while employment in the leisure and hospitality sector was down by 400 jobs. The government sector experienced a loss of 300 jobs. The greatest job gain was found in the education and health services sector with 900 new jobs, followed by other services, up by 400, while employment in the information sector increased by 200. Employment in the trade, transportation and utilities and financial activities sectors remained steady over the month. Since the beginning of the recession in March 2008, Connecticut has lost 88,200 jobs, which represents an overall employment decline of 5.2 percent.

• Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• W-2s:  Location of SSN Box Moved: ““Social Security and the Internal Revenue Service moved the ‘Employee's Social Security number’ (SSN) box on the Form W-2 from box d to box a , and the ‘Control number’ box, optionally used by some employers to identify individual Forms W-2, from box a to box d . We also relocated the form ID Number ‘22222’ and "Void" boxes to the top left corner of the Form W-2. We made these changes to protect the employee's SSN from public disclosure when employers furnish Forms W-2 to their employees using a window envelope to enhance processing efficiency.

            “Social Security has received numerous paper W-2s where the SSN and/or name is not in the proper position and it can delay processing. Please look closely at your paper W-2s, especially Copy A, to ensure printing accuracy prior to mailing them to Social Security's Wilkes-Barre Data Operations Center.”

• Source:  SocialSecurity.gov  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Social Security & Medicare, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut: 5 Mass Layoffs in November: Connecticut employers took 5 major layoff actions in November, each affecting at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 424. The number of mass layoff events and associated initial Unemployment Compensation claims were lower than in October 2009, but higher than in November, a year ago.  CTHRR will have more details on this in our next CT HR Reports eNewsletter.

• Source:  USDOL • For further information on this topic see the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Now Has H1N1 Vaccine: ““Governor M. Jodi Rell announced…that the state has now received enough H1N1 vaccine to make it available to anyone in Connecticut who would like to be vaccinated….  Those interested in getting vaccinated should contact their doctor or the local health department designated to administer the vaccine. Local health departments can be found at www.ct.gov/dph/mda. 

• Source:  Governor’s Office  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Hours and Earnings in November: The manufacturing production workweek, not seasonally adjusted, averaged 41.3 hours, down 0.6 hours from the November 2008 figure of 41.9 hours. Average hourly earnings at $23.44, not seasonally adjusted, were up $1.65 from a year ago at this time when the number was $21.79. `This resulted in an average weekly wage for manufacturing of $968.07, up $55.07, which is an increase of approximately 6.0 percent over the year.

• Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Wage & Salary Administration, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Quick Tips for Workers On Safe Work Practices: “As 2010 approaches, OSHA stresses making workplace safety and health a top priority for workers. There are numerous products, such as QuickCards, fact sheets and guidance documents, on OSHA's publications Web page that show workers how to stay safe and healthy on the job through fall protection, chemical hazard awareness and machine guarding. Learn valuable information on a variety of topics in different industries through OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. Information on specific workplace hazards and individual industries are included in OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Web pages. Visit OSHA's Web site for additional information on workplace safety.” 

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Safety & Health, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut’s Unemployment in November: Unemployment: The estimate of people unemployed, seasonally adjusted, decreased in November 2009 by 11,500 to 155,400, while the unemployment rate decreased from the October 2009 rate of 8.8 percent to 8.2 percent. This is 1.8 percentage points lower than the national rate of 10.0 percent. In comparison with the state’s November 2008 unemployment rate of 6.3 percent, this month’s unemployment number represents an increase of 1.9 percentage points over the year.

• Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Suffers 1-Week 10% Increase in Swine Flu Cases:  In its report of December 22, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 10% in reported H1N1 cases statewide.

• Further details, including a county-by-county breakdown, are in the next issue of our CT HR Reports eNewsletter.  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Payrolls in Manufacturing and Services Both Rose in November:  Private wage and salary disbursements increased $16.1 billion in November, compared with an increase of $3.2 billion in October.  Goods-producing industries' payrolls increased $0.4 billion, in contrast to a decrease of $2.0 billion; manufacturing payrolls increased $1.6 billion, in contrast to a decrease of $2.4 billion.  Services-producing industries' payrolls increased $15.7 billion, compared with an increase of $5.2 billion.  Government wage and salary disbursements increased $1.7 billion, compared with an increase of $2.8 billion.

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Payment of Wages, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Holidays:  317 will die in Traffic Accidents:  “The Christmas holiday period begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24, and continues through the end of Sunday, Dec. 27. During this time, the National Safety Council estimates 317 traffic fatalities and 16,800 disabling injuries will occur. The New Year’s holiday period begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, and continues through the end of Sunday, Jan. 3. During this time, the council estimates there will be 301 traffic fatalities and 16,000 disabling injuries.  *       Source: National Safety Council

 

The staff at CTHRR wish you the best of holidays...and remind you to please drive safely.

 

• Arrest & Convictions: Previously, Connecticut law required that the portion of an employment application form that contains information on the criminal history record of an applicant could not be available to anyone in the organization interviewing the applicant except the members of the HR department or the person in charge of employment.  Now, however, the law allows any employee involved in the interviewing process to see criminal histories (other than certain offenses that have been erased, nolled, etc.).

Nevertheless, CTHRR recommends that employers collect data on criminal history using a separate form from the application.  Although the law now permits this information to be seen by other interviewers, we recommend that it be held in confidence by HR; if any criminal history is job-related, it can be discussed with those members of management who have a business-related need-to-know.  Having this information on the application or making it widely available remains a recipe for disaster from the viewpoint of privacy and EEO. 

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Application Forms, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut’s Labor Markets and Unemployment: In November, unemployment rates and the number of unemployed people, not seasonally adjusted, were up over the year in all of the state’s nine labor market areas. Danbury had the lowest unemployment rate at 6.7 percent, followed by Bridgeport-Stamford at 7.5 percent, followed by Norwich-New London and Torrington, both at 7.7 percent. Waterbury had the highest unemployment rate at 10.9 percent.

 

• COBRA/ARRA Extension Signed:  President Obama has signed the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Act. The act extends the eligibility period for the ARRA premium reduction for an additional two months (through Feb. 28, 2010) and the maximum period for receiving the subsidy for an additional six months (from nine to 15 months). For further information see our eNewsletter for the week of 21 December or go to:  Employee Benefits Security Administration

 

• Connecticut Swine Flu Cases: In its report of December 15, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 35% in laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases in our state.  More details, including a breakdown by Connecticut county, can be found in our Connecticut HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 21 December.

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut’s Labor Market Areas: The Connecticut Department of Labor says there were job gains in the three largest of the six major Labor Market Areas between October and November, with Hartford adding 700 jobs, Bridgeport-Stamford gaining 500, and New Haven adding 300.  Losses were seen in Danbury and Waterbury, each with 300 fewer jobs. Norwich-New London was unchanged over the month.

 

• CTHRR’s Latest Quick Survey Now Open:  Please take our “Quick Survey” on waiting periods for participation in benefit programs:  It’s all done online…takes about 55 seconds.  Thanks very much.

*       To participate, please click here: CTHRR’s Quick Surveys

 

• Connecticut Lost Jobs in November…UC Rate Still Dropped:  The state’s nonfarm employment in November saw a decrease of 2,600 jobs from the October figure.  The estimate of people unemployed, seasonally adjusted, decreased in November 2009 by 11,500 while the unemployment rate decreased from the October 2009 rate of 8.8 percent to 8.2 percent. For full details on Connecticut’s employment situation in November, see our Connecticut HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 21 December.

 

• Unions:  USDOL Continuing to Formulate Rule Requiring Employers to Promote Unionism:  The USDOL has published its semiannual regulatory agendum in the Federal Register.  This is a status report on the regulations the Department of Labor is in the process of developing.  Included in this laundry list is the infamous NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS UNDER FEDERAL LABOR LAWS, mandated by Preseident Obama’s Executive Order 13496 of January 30, 2009.  This reg will require most federal contractors to post a notice informing their employees of their right to form unions.  According to the agendum, USDOL plans to have this regulation in place by June 2010.

            To read about this and other regulations USDOL has up its sleeve, go to: Source:  Federal Register  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unions, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Survey:  With the prospect of a possibly improving economy in mind, one of our subscribers has asked: How long do employees recalled from layoff have to wait before they can participate in the organization’s benefits?

Our new “Quick Survey” asks about Connecticut employers’ recall/rehire practices.  It takes about a minute to do…all done on the Internet with no paper to process.  Please CLICK HERE to participate.  Thank you.

• OSHA Records A Problem?  A January 5 recordkeeping workshop in Wethersfield—sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CONN-OSHA)—will provide employers with guidance and tips for ensuring information records are accurate and properly kept up-to-date.

Attendees will learn how to properly maintain the following three OSHA documents:

            Form 300: Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

            Form 300A: Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

            Form 301: Injury and Illness Incident Report

• To register for the training workshop, please contact CONN-OSHA Training Officer John Able at (860) 263-6902 or via e-mail at able.john@dol.gov.

  • For further information on this topic see the section on: OSHA, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

• Applications: Reminder:  Connecticut Public Act 09-239, effective 10/1/2009, requires employers to protect the privacy of application forms and to destroy them or make them unreadable at least through shredding when disposing of them. 

• Source:  A list of all new Connecticut Public Acts affecting Human Resources can be found by logging in to CTHRR.com and going to “Connecticut Laws, Regulations, and Resources.”  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Application Forms, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Ergonomics: Must Be a Reason Why OSHA Wants to Collect MSD Data: “OSHA is proposing to revise its regulation on Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Recordkeeping) to restore a column on the OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Log that employers will check when recording work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The MSD data from the column will help about 750,000 employers and 40 million workers track injuries at individual workplaces, and improve the Nation's occupational injury and illness information data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The MSD column was removed from the OSHA 300 Log in 2003. The Agency will issue a proposed rule in January 2010.”

• Source:  USDOL-OSHA  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Ergonomics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Absenteeism:  According to the USDOL, 3% absenteeism is typical in the private sector and 4% in the public [government] sector. 

• For further information on this topic, including a breakdown by industry sector, see the section on: Absenteeism Control, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Cost-of-Living: Consumer Price Index:   The USDOL updated the CPI data today.  We report these numbers on our website:  Login and go to "Stats, Reports, & Forecasts."  

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Consumer Price Index, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Swine Flu Cases: In its report of December 8, the Connecticut Department of Health showed a one-week increase of 17% in laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases in our state.  More details, including a breakdown by Connecticut county, can be found in our Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 14 December.

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Reminder: Connecticut Minimum Wage Rises To $8.25 on January 1; Connecticut employers should obtain the new state minimum wage poster...available from:  Connecticut Minimum Wage Poster 

• For further information on this topic see the section on:Minimum Wage, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Employers on Use of Social Networks: Our latest “Quick Survey” asked 140 state employers whether or not they use Internet social-networking (ISN) sites for purposes related to human resources management.  We found that 33% of respondents do use these sites; of these, 23% use more than one social network.  Here are the percentages of ISN users that use some of the more popular sites:  Facebook 33%, LinkedIn 62%, Twitter 13%, and others 21%.

We also asked what use the employers make of ISNs; we received a variety of replies, but most centered on recruitment.  A list of these uses and further information on the survey results is in our Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 14 December. 

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Telephones & Electronic Communications, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• December 25, January 1:  Both Fall on Fridays: Reminder:  When payday falls on a holiday, by Connecticut law employers must pay employees on the workday prior to the holiday.

• For further information on this topic see the section on: Payment of Wages, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Do You Tweet?  CTHRR has just started up on Twitter…please check us out:  http://twitter.com/cthrr

 

• Unemployment Notices: “All employers must prepare an Unemployment Notice (Form Connecticut UC-61) for a worker upon termination of employment, whatever the cause of such termination. The Unemployment Notice is part of a separation packet (UC-62T/UC-61). While the packet itself is lengthy, the employer section consists of only 14 questions asking for basic information such as your business name, address and registration number; the worker’s name, social security number, dates of employment, pending severance or other payments, and the reason for the separation.

Forms are available on line at www.ctdol.state.ct.us/tic/sep-pack.html.  You may obtain additional quantities of the separation packet by emailing the Department of Labor at DOL.Shutdowns@ct.gov (please specify quantity, company name, and mailing address), or by calling the Claims Examination Unit at (860) 263-6635.” 

• Source:  Connecticut DOL UC Division  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• CT Department of Public Health Urges Safe Holiday Food Practices: ““Many holiday dinners incorporate meat and poultry, a possible source of foodborne disease unless handled and prepared properly.  This holiday season, DPH urges consumers to follow public health guidelines when purchasing and preparing food items, paying particularly close attention to the basic tenets of food safety and good hygiene.”” 

• Source:  CTDPH  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Rest Periods ∙ Meal Periods, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Oakville Resident Charged With Workers' Compensation Fraud, Perjury, Forgery: ““Timothy Brown, age 48, of…Oakville [CT], was arrested…on a warrant charging him with Fraudulent Claim or Receipt of Benefits, Perjury and Forgery in the Third Degree.

            “According to the arrest warrant affidavit, in April 2001 Mr. Brown suffered a work-related injury while employed by Guaranteed Overnight Delivery. Since his injury Mr. Brown has received $215,000 in either total disability benefits, temporary partial disability benefits or permanent partial disability benefits, the warrant states.

            “During the time he was receiving workers' compensation benefits from the Travelers Insurance Company, Mr. Brown failed to disclose his work capacity and income earned while working for several different employers. The warrant also states that Mr. Brown was untruthful during a deposition taken under oath regarding his employment history and for altering his commercial driver’s license medical certificate.

            “The charges are felonies carrying a maximum potential sentence of more than 25 years in prison if convicted on all counts.”

           
• Source:  State of Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice    • For further information on this topic see the section on: Workers’ Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• CT DOL Offers Construction Site Safety Session:  : “Knowing the possible hazards that can cause injuries, properly preparing, and taking adequate safety precautions are basic requirements for every construction worker.

            “The critical concepts of fall protection, scaffolding and ladders, electrical hazards and trenching safety also form the basis of a session titled “Construction Site Safety” being offered by the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CONN-OSHA).  The workshop will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Dec. 18 at the Labor Department’s Wethersfield office, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard…..

            “Adequate time for questions will be allotted. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required.”

 

• To register, or for additional information, contact John Able by email at able.john@dol.gov or call him at (860) 263-6902.”  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Safety & Health, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Unemployment Compensation:  Reporting Multi-State Workers:  Employers that have employees who work in multiple states and have questions regarding unemployment reporting requirements may reference the department’s Employer’s Guide at www.ctdol.state.ct.us/uitax/empl-guide.pdf or may contact the Employer Status Unit at telephone number (860) 263-6550.

           
Source: Employer’s Guide • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Compensation:  Average Cost-Per-Worker $29.40/Hour:Total employer compensation costs for civilian workers, which include private industry and state and local government workers, averaged $29.40 per hour worked in September 2009.

Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $27.49 per hour worked in September 2009.  State and local government employers spent an average of $39.83 per hour worked for total employee compensation in September 2009.

           
• Source:  USDOL  • Further details will be in our CT HR Reports eNewsletter for the week of 14 December at  CTHRR.com

 

• Employment Picture Continued Bleak in Metro Areas Nationwide in October: Unemployment rates were higher in October than a year earlier in all 372 major metropolitan areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Fifteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 13 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in October was 9.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.1 percent a year earlier. Among the 369 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll employment were available, 361 areas reported over-the-year decreases in employment and 8 reported increases.

Connecticut’s October unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was 8.3%; Danbury had the lowest UC rate in the state, 7.3%, while Waterbury was highest at 11.2%.

• Source:  USDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Dec. 15 CONN-OSHA Breakfast Roundtable Looks at Fire Sprinkler Systems and Safety: John T. Johnson, an expert in the field, will be the featured speaker. Sponsored by CONN-OSHA, the program will run from 8:15 to 9:45 a.m.at 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield.

A professional fire fighter and firefighting instructor, Mr. Johnson will review a number of the more frequently used types of sprinkler systems and explain, in-depth, their components…. He will also show how they operate, and point out the conditions that affect their performance.

• Information:  Admission to the roundtable is free, but pre-registration is required. To register for the breakfast roundtable or for additional information, please contact Able at (860) 263-6902, or via email at able.john@dol.gov.  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Fire Drills/Evacuation Drills, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Let It Snow, Let It Snow....  Employees couldn’t get to work Wednesday because of the snow storm?  Maybe you closed your facility for the day or had a late opening?  Connecticut and federal law have something to say about how you pay your employees in such cases.  For example:

No deductions of any kind can be made from the pay of exempt, salaried employees for absences of less than a full week that are caused by temporary closings or layoff due to weather conditions.  But, when an employer is open for business and an exempt employee does not report because of weather conditions, this is considered an absence for personal reasons and a deduction of a full day’s pay from the salary is permissible—assuming certain standards have been met…

• For complete details on this topic see the sections on: Weather and Salaried Employees, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• CT Commuting:  Real-Time Website Shows Current Road Conditions: “The Department of Transportation’s map allows users to view real-time roadway incidents.  Information from the state’s two Highway Operations Centers is used to update the map with the location and expected duration of congestion causing incidents throughout the state.  Visitors to the site can use the left hand selection panel to choose which levels of information they wish to view.”

• Source:  CT Department of Transportation  • For further information on this topic see the section on:   Commuting, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• CONN OSHA Lockout/Tagout Class: “Lockout/Tagout: Understanding and Implementing the Control of Hazardous Energy, December 17, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon.  The OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 Standard requires that all potentially hazardous energy sources be isolated and prevented from accidental re-energization. Although this is a fairly straightforward practice, it is often the case that plant personnel cannot perform their job tasks with equipment in a zero energy state. This 2-hour session will discuss comprehensive energy control protocols designed to protect workers performing servicing and other tasks while achieving maintenance, quality control and production goals.  Class is free and is held at the CT Department of Labor, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT.

• To register, contact John Able, able.john@dol.gov, 860-263-6902, or Catherine Zinsser, zinsser.catherine@dol.gov, 860-263-6942. • For further information on this topic see the section on:  Safety & Health, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• CTDOL Seminars:  Drug Testing, FMLA, W&H, UC:  : “An increasingly complicated topic facing employers these days – the issue of drug testing in the workplace – will be discussed in depth by employees from the Connecticut Department of Labor during a Dec. 11 informational breakfast seminar being held in the agency’s Wethersfield office.

 “Stephen Lattanzio, an attorney in the agency’s Office of Program Policy, and Jim Fusaro, a special investigator in the Division of Wage & Workplace Standards will provide a wealth of information to help employers better understand drug-testing laws and what types of tests can be conducted.

“ The registration fee, which is due by Dec. 4, is $25. Registration applications and checks should be sent to Kathy Marioni, Connecticut Department of Labor, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109.  Registration forms can be obtained on the agency’s Web site at www.ct.gov/dol.

 “Individuals with additional questions can contact Kathy via email at kathleen.marioni@ct.gov or by phone at (860) 263-6755. Persons needing special accommodations are requested to contact the agency at least one week prior to the event.

 “Subsequent seminars in the winter series include Complying with Connecticut’s Family and Medical Leave Act on Jan. 8; The Essentials of Connecticut Wage and Hour Law on Feb. 5; and Unemployment Insurance 101 on March 12.”

• Source:  CTDOL  • For further information on this topic see the sections on:   Alcohol & Drugs, FMLA, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut’s UC Fund Out of Cash: “The state's unemployment insurance fund became insolvent on Oct. 13, and Connecticut expects to borrow $900 million from the federal government to keep paying checks to a growing number of out-of-work residents.

            “The unemployment trust fund is funded by a two-part tax on employers that is on track to bring in $630 million to $650 million in revenue this year — far short of the $1.3 billion the state expects to pay out in unemployment benefits, said Carl Guzzardi, tax director for the state Department of Labor.”

• Source:  Courant.com  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Online Job Ads Up 4% in November: “Total online job ads in Connecticut were 53,100 last month, a decrease of 24% from a year ago but up 3.9% from 51,100 in the prior month, according to The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series™.  Hartford [the only Connecticut city for which data are available] saw online job ads rise 5.8% from last month’s report.”   For a more detailed report, see CTHRR’s Connecticut HR eNewsletter for the week of 07 December.

• Source:  The Conference Board  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Advertising, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• U. S. Employment Situation:  UC Rate Declines, Wages Rise:  The unemployment rate edged from 10.2 to 10.0% in November. The rate was 4.9% when the recession began in December 2007. There were 15.4 million unemployed persons in November, down slightly from the prior month.  Job losses occurred in construction, manufacturing, and information, while employment rose in temporary help services and health care.  Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers in the private sector were up by 1 cent in November to $18.74. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.2%.

• Source:  USDOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Friday, 04 December 2009

• Driving:  IRS Issues 2010 Mileage Limits: The Internal Revenue Service has set a mileage allowance rate of a certain number of cents per mile for reimbursement of employees for business use of personal autos.  This allowance, when used to reimburse employees' automobile expenses, is considered to meet the substantiation and adequate accounting requirements of IRS regulations. The current rate in effect is reported each week at the end of our Connecticut HR Reports eNewsletter; it can also be found on the Stats, Reports & Forecasts page of our website under “Current Data.”

The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2010 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.  Beginning on Jan. 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

50 cents per mile for business miles driven, 

16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, and

14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

The new rates for business, medical and moving purposes are slightly lower than last year’s. The mileage rates for 2010 reflect generally lower transportation costs compared to a year ago.

• Source: Internal Revenue Service   • For further information on this topic see the section on: Travel Time ∙ Expenses, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Employers’ Plans for Holiday Parties: The results of CTHRR’s recent Quick Survey indicate that the current economic crisis appears to have had some impact on employers’ year-end holiday activities.  Seventy-one percent of respondents will have a party for employees [79% in our last survey]; most of these [54%] will be held off premises; guests, such as a spouse, are invited in 28% of cases, and liquor is served at 47% of parties.  In general, the employer pays for the party although employees pay or share costs 12% of the time.

Children’s parties are much less frequent:  Only 7% of respondents hold them [down from 13% in our last survey], mostly [63%] on company property.  The employer pays for the parties except in 25% of cases where the costs are borne by an employee association. 

• Source: CTHRR’s Quick Surveys   • For further information on this topic see the section on: Office Parties, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Thursday, 03 December 2009

• Connecticut Hours and Earnings: The manufacturing production workweek, not seasonally adjusted, averaged 40.5 hours, down 1.7 hours from the October 2008 figure of 42.2 hours. Average hourly earnings at $23.20, not seasonally adjusted, were up $1.39 from a year ago at this time when the number was $21.81.This resulted in an average weekly wage for manufacturing of $939.60, up $19.22, which is an increase of approximately 2.1 percent over the year.

• Source:  CT DOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut Economy:  “Current Conditions and Outlook for the U.S. and Connecticut Economies: 2008-2010”: “The outlook for the U.S. and Connecticut economies for 2008-2010, which is prepared by the Office of Research, Connecticut Labor Department. After review by a panel of economists from academia, business, non-profits, and government, the U.S. and Connecticut outlooks are revised, updated, and then used as the basis for setting the assumptions for the next round of Short-Term Connecticut, Industry-Employment Forecasts.”

• Source: CT DOL  • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Wednesday, 02 December 2009

• Connecticut Unemployment Compensation Benefits Extended Again: “…an expanded federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program has now taken effect to provide an additional 14 weeks of benefits to Connecticut’s jobless residents. “…the legislation provides a “third tier” of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) benefits to states with total unemployment rates of at least 6% over a three-month average. “The expansion of this program means that Connecticut residents are now potentially eligible to collect 93 weeks of state and federal benefits while looking for new jobs.” 

• Source: Governor’s Office • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

• Connecticut: 9 Mass Layoffs in October: In October, Connecticut employers took 9 mass layoff actions, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 671. The number of mass layoff events this month was up by 5 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 348. Over the year, the number of mass layoff events increased by 5, and associated initial claims increased by 131. 
Nationally, employers took 1,934 mass layoff actions in October that resulted in the separation of 193,904 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance. The number of mass layoff events in October increased by 563 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 70,727. Over the year, the number of mass layoff events decreased by 191, and associated initial claims decreased by 27,880. 

• Source: USDOL • For further information on this topic see the section on: Layoffs, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Tuesday, 01 December 2009

• Quick Survey Report: Holiday Gifts: Twenty-two percent of 144 Connecticut employers responding to our most recent Quick Survey tell us that they give their employees a gift at Thanksgiving. The value of these gifts ranges from $15 to $50 with an average of $24.50 [about the cost of a 12-lb. turkey?] As to a Christmas gifts, 22% of respondents give their employees a gift, other than a cash bonus, that is valued at anywhere from $10 to as much as $300…with an average of $57.50. Although the percentage giving Thanksgiving gifts and Christmas gifts is exactly the same, 22%, these are not the same employers in both cases. Only 5% of respondents give both a Thanksgiving and a Christmas gift. 

• Source: CTHRR’s Quick Surveys • For further information on this topic see the section on: Office Parties, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Monday, 30 November 2009

• CT DOL Offers OSHA Recordkeeping Seminar: “January 5, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. At this workshop you will learn how to fill out the OSHA Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300) accurately and correctly. The accuracy of your log not only is a roadmap to workplace mishaps, but also is an excellent indicator of how well your company understands safety and health regulations. Recordkeeping rules changed dramatically in January 2002, yet many employers continue to report inaccurately and incorrectly. This interactive session will make you knowledgeable of the rules and ensure confidence that you have properly recorded and reported occupational injuries and illnesses.” 

• Source: To register contact John Able, able.john@dol.gov, 860-263-6902, or Catherine Zinsser, zinsser.catherine@dol.gov, 860-263-6942. • For further information on this topic see the section on: OSHA, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut. 

 

Friday, 27 November 2009

• Stamford Employer Arrested for Inventing His Own Pay-Cut Formula [He just didn’t pay them.] “Victor Garcia, 47, of…Stamford, was charged with 10 counts of failing to pay wages after 10 laborers came forward to police with help from a Hispanic community advocate, police Sgt. Peter diSpagna said. Garcia told police he spent the men's wages on personal expenses because he was going through hard times, police said.” 

• Source: StamfordAdvocate.com • For further information on this topic see the section Payment of Wages, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

• Quick Survey Results: Connecticut Employers Say Workforces are Stabilizing:  CTHRR surveyed 144 Connecticut employers as to whether or not they expected their number of employees to grow during the coming 12 months. Only 21% of respondents indicated they expect workforce expansion; however, this is up from 10% in March ‘09…the lowest point in recent surveys. Fourteen percent said employee numbers would contract during the coming year…down from 46% last January. Sixty-five percent foresaw no significant change coming in the year ahead.  Finally, the percentage of respondents that said employment in their organization should stabilize or grow during the next 12 months has increased from 54% last January to 86% in this latest survey. This continues to be a sign of an improving economy for our state. 

• Source: CTHRR’s Quick Surveys • For further information on this topic see the section on: HR Management, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

• Reminder: Connecticut Minimum Wage Rises To $8.25 on January 1; Connecticut employers should obtain the new state minimum wage poster...available from: 

• Source: Connecticut Minimum Wage Poster • For further information on this topic see the section on:Minimum Wage, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Monday, 23 November 2009

• Connecticut’s Labor Market Areas:  Job losses in three of the six major Labor Market Areas between September and October countered the gains in two. There were losses in Danbury with 1,100 fewer jobs; Norwich-New London, down 600 jobs; and New Haven, with 500 job losses. Hartford added 2,700 jobs, Bridgeport-Stamford added 900 jobs, while Waterbury’s job level was mostly unchanged over the month. Unemployment rates and the number of unemployed people, not seasonally adjusted, were up over the year in all of the state’s nine labor market areas in October 2009. Danbury had the lowest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent, followed by Enfield at 7.7 percent, and Bridgeport-Stamford and Norwich-New London, both at 8.0 percent. Waterbury had the highest unemployment rate at 11.2 percent. 

• Source: CTDOL • For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

 

Friday, 20 November 2009

•  Connecticut Jobs Up, But So Is Unemployment:  “The state’s nonfarm employment in October was 1,624,000, an increase of 1,000 jobs from the revised September 2009 figure of 1,623,000, the Connecticut Department of Labor announced today. On a seasonally adjusted basis, this is a decrease of 71,100 from the October 2008 total of 1,695,100 jobs.

“’Despite the increase in the state’s unemployment rate, there are some positive signs in Connecticut’s economic indicators,’ noted Labor Statistics Supervisor Salvatore DiPillo. ‘While a gain of 1,000 jobs is welcome news, even more significant is the fact that initial claims for October, at 5,900, decreased by nearly 1,000 from the previous month and are now at their lowest level since last December….’

”…the unemployment rate increased from the September 2009 rate of 8.4 percent to 8.8 percent.” 

• Source: CTDOL • For further information on this topic see the section on: Statistics, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

Thursday, 19 November 2009

• Connecticut Employers and the Flu:  Our current CTHRR Quick Survey asks employers: “Has your organization formally communicated with its employees about H1N1 flu-related policies and procedures for limiting the spread of the illness in the workplace? [By "formally," we mean through printed notice, bulletin board notice, Intranet, or other means through which employees are typically notified of new or changed organizational policies.]”

Sixty-five percent of Connecticut respondents to our survey said, “Yes,” they had made such a communication; another 14% said they had not yet but are planning to do so.  As to flu shots, most respondents, 56%, said they are providing flu shots to their employees, but only for the seasonal flu, not H1N1; another 12% said they’re providing both types of shots.  The employer is paying for the flu shots in 48% of responses; another 30% are covered by insurances. In most cases—88%—the shots are available to the workers at the employer’s facility.  The average reported cost for the flu shots is $27.79.

This is a preliminary report; the full analysis appeared in our December Connecticut HR Reports Newsletter. If you’re not a subscriber, ask us at hr@cthrr.com for a free sample copy. 

• Source: Sample Request • For further information on this topic see the section on: Disease, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

• Connecticut’s Shared Work Program:  “Shared Work is a voluntary program providing an alternative to layoffs for employers faced with a temporary decline in business. Rather than lay off a percentage of the workforce to cut costs, an employer may reduce the hours and wages of all or a particular group of employees. The employees whose hours and wages are reduced can receive partial unemployment insurance benefits to supplement their lost wages. These partial benefits are made possible through special eligibility regulations governing the Shared Work Unemployment Compensation Program.

“For example, a firm facing a 20 percent reduction in production might normally lay off one-fifth of its workforce. Faced with this situation, a company with a shared work plan could retain its total workforce on a four-day-a-week basis. This reduction from 40 hours to 32 hours would cut production by the required 20 percent without reducing the number of employees. All affected employees would receive their wages based on four days of work and, in addition, receive a portion of unemployment compensation benefits equal to 20 percent of the total weekly benefit rate that would have been payable had the employee been unemployed a full week.” 

• Source: CT Shared Work Progam • For further information on this topic see the section on: Unemployment Compensation, in What to Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut.