Anti-jobs proposals again move out of Labor Committee

(March 14, 2008) Despite calls from legislative leaders and hundreds of Connecticut employers to “do no harm,” the Labor Committee has again advanced an agenda that will in fact do harm to the state’s business climate, economy and prospects for more job creation. Now the proposals move to other committees where there’s opportunity for a more reasoned consideration of the measures.

Approved by the committee were a number of measures that allow state government to increase business costs and intrude further into Connecticut workplaces.

Workers’ compensation
The committee also continued its annual drive to overturn key safeguards of the state’s workers’ compensation system. Committee members heard widespread opposition to these measures from scores of businesspeople from across Connecticut; nonetheless, they chose again to approve proposals that will significantly increase workers’ comp costs and administrative burdens. Some of these measures include:
• SB-64 increases scarring benefits under the worker’s compensation act
• SB-255 increases discretionary benefits under the worker’s compensation act
• HB-5626 eliminates workers’ compensation as the exclusive remedy in certain circumstances
• HB-5627 makes the administrative process more formal and litigious by changing the title of workers’ comp commissioners to “Administrative Law Judges”

Wages and time-off benefits:
• Paid sick leave: SB-217 requires employers of 25 or more employees to provide their workers with paid time off for illness, domestic violence treatment and other associated reasons, and allows employees to carry over accrued paid sick leave indefinitely from year to year.
• Minimum wage: HB-5105 increases the minimum wage to $8 per hour on Jan. 1, 2009 and to $8.35 on Jan. 1, 2010.
• State assistance: SB-58 eliminates of state financial assistance — loans, grants, guarantees and tax credits — for companies that reduce employee retirement benefits during their contract with the state.

For more information about all of these proposals, contact CBIA’s Kia Murrell at 860-244-1931 or kia.murrell@cbia.com.