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CBIA members: Click here to sign up for our free HR and/or our Safety & Heath electronic newsletters. |
Find the Connecticut-specific information you need to comply with employment laws and regulations, and effectively manage your company's most valuable asset — its people!
Web-only features
New federal minimum wage posterThe revised 5-in-1 poster reflecting the new federal minimum wage is now available. To order, contact Lise Cliche at clichel@cbia.com or 860 244 1977. The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 calls for a three step increase over the next three years, with the first increase to $5.85. It is the first raise in the federal minimum wage since 1997.
State’s high court breaks new groundEmployers must reasonably accommodate employees with disabilities and identify potential accommodations, even though the state Human Rights and Opportunities Act does not explicitly require them to, Connecticut’s Supreme Court has ruled.
In officially recognizing an employer’s duty to accommodate, the high court adopted the position the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) has long held on the issue. Its interpretation, said the court, is consistent with the state statute’s legislative history and intent, federal disabilities law, and the law of other states.
The court’s decision revives the accommodation claim of an employee whose employer temporarily moved him from a job as a driver to working in a warehouse after he hurt his back. But the company refused to reassign him on a permanent basis.
10 hardest jobs to fillIn an annual survey by Manpower, Inc., U.S. employers identified the following 10 jobs as the hardest to fill for 2008:
Sales representatives, technicians, accountants/finance staff and machinists appeared on the hardest-to-fill list for the third consecutive year, confirming that job seekers with specific skill sets are still in demand.
Engineers appeared second on the list in 2006 and first this year, after dropping off completely in 2007. Employers are also finding it difficult to fill openings for skilled trades people, IT staff and production operators, all new to the 2008 list.
Although job categories have shifted on the list, it’s clear that all types of companies need to plan how they will transition from baby boomers to younger generations, says Manpower. Companies must balance attracting and retaining aging workers with developing innovative recruiting programs that target young professionals, especially those interested in technical and trade careers.
New drug-free workplace kitThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed a Drug-Free Workplace Kit, suitable for all sizes of workplaces.
Nearly 75% of current illicit drug users and 79% of heavy drinkers aged 18 or older are in the workforce, says SAMHSA. Substance abuse is expensive and dangerous for American businesses, costing them estimated billions of dollars a year.
Available in print or online, the free kit offers practical, evidence-based information, resources and tools for developing and maintaining drug-free workplace policies and programs.
The new kit includes nine brochures, 13 fact sheets, a bumper sticker and two posters for display in workplaces. The materials cover a range of topics, including how to assess your company’s needs; understanding the legal issues related to substance abuse; developing a policy; prevention education; training your supervisors; and creating an employee assistance program. The kit also includes information on how to set up systems for evaluating the program’s effectiveness.
Up to five printed copies of the kit can be ordered by calling 1-877-726-4727. It can be downloaded online at http://www.workplace.samhsa.gov/WPWorkit/index.html.
Bigger paychecks for summer hiresTwenty-four percent of employers plan to pay their summer hires more this year than they did last year, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com. Nearly half plan to dish out $10 or more per hour; 7% will pay $20 or more per hour.
The hospitality and retail industries lead in the number of hiring managers planning to recruit summer help, at 40% and 39% respectively. Most-offered summer positions are office support, customer service, and landscape maintenance.
Nearly two-thirds of employers say they will consider their summer recruits for permanent placement within the organization.
Summer jobs can also be rather … unusual. When asked about the most unusual or memorable summer jobs they’ve ever held, workers identified chicken wrangler, clown in an underwater theatre; cast member in a haunted house; gopher hunter; eraser of marks in used books; and scrubber of rubber ducks for a national rubber duck race.
Women in the workforceA record 68 million women were employed in the U.S. in 2007 — 75% of them in full-time jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
The largest percentage of employed women (39%) worked in management, professional, and related occupations, accounting for 51% of all workers in these occupations. They outnumbered men in such occupations as financial managers; human resource managers; education administrators; medical and health service managers; accountants and auditors; budget analysts; property, real estate, and social and community association managers, physical therapists; and nurses.
The DOL’S figures also show that 34% of employed women worked in sales and office occupations; 20% in service occupations, 6% in production, transportation and material moving occupations; and 1% in natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations.
For more data from DOL on women in the workforce, go to http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/main.htm. How secure is your business?Learn the essentials of keeping your place of business secure and the importance of background checks in a new CBIA Web seminar, "Corporate Security and Background Screening for Your Business."
In this convenient and informative Web seminar, you'll learn the best ways to prepare your business for common security risks and vulnerabilities, as well as how to use effective pre-employment screening as your first line of defense. Find out what to do, the options you have and the resources available to help protect your business and your employees. Topics for discussion include:
This one-hour online program is led by Al Sparaco, president of Baker St. Associates. Sparaco has more than 36 years of experience in security and is board certified in security management by ASIS International, the preeminent organization for security professionals worldwide. You should plan to attend if you are a business owner, facilities manager, security officer or top executive. CBIA’s On-Site Training: Sexual harassment prevention and moreIf your company has 50 or more employees, you probably know that sexual harassment training for staff is required by law. But did you know that numerous court decisions have underscored the importance of such training at smaller companies as well? CBIA can save you time and money by conducting on-site sexual harassment prevention training at your facility, on your schedule. Companies of any size can benefit from CBIA's expertise, as we can tailor a training session to the needs of your staff and your industry. In addition to sexual harassment prevention training, our expertise covers a variety of key employment compliance issues, including:
Because you pay a flat fee for each session, the more employees who attend, the more economical the cost per person. Fees vary based on the length and number of sessions requested. If you were thinking of training supervisors only but have fewer than five who need training, consider the value of including nonsupervisory staff in training sessions. We have developed effective, shortened formats for mixed groups of employees. For more information, contact Mark Soycher at 860-244-1138 or mark.soycher@cbia.com.
Don’t miss the last program in our new Management Institute series! Strategic Decision Making explores methods and creative techniques that can facilitate objective and effective decision making . Friday, May 9 in Hartford.
'What To Do about Personnel Problems in Connecticut'CBIA is partnering with Connecticut Human Resource Reports LLC to offer members one of the most comprehensive sources on HR issues in Connecticut. What to Do About Personnel Problems in Connecticut delivers clear, straightforward, state-specific guidance for handling all the employment related and HR issues that crop up in your organization on a daily basis. It’s a single resource — updated regularly — that offers guidance in hundreds of key areas, from absenteeism to FMLA leave to overtime pay to workers’ compensation. This unique guide is available to CBIA members for only $350. That’s a $50 savings off the regular price. For more information or to order, contact Lise Cliche at 860-244-1977 or e-mail her at lise.cliche@cbia.com .
CBIA’s Management Institute will make your best managers even betterCBIA's Management Institute, a series of courses designed to prepare your top managers for that next promotion. This series of courses covers topics ranging from business strategy to accounting to marketing and negotiating. They were developed to offer member companies a cost effective and convenient means to provide their talented mangers with the academic underpinning that allows them to take on a greater role in their companies. More information and to register.
Who should telecommute?The success of a telecommuting program largely depends on which employees are chosen to become telecommuters. Not all employees are suited to telecommuting or even want to telecommute; so determining who can be a successful telecommuter is key. Employees best suited for telecommuting are:
Telecommute Connecticut recommends that employers use a “Self-Nomination Form,” which gives employees the option to describe their pro-telecommuting characteristics, the telecommuting site and proposed work to be done while telecommuting. This helps both employers and employees determine if they are suited to telecommuting. It’s important to remember that telecommuting should be offered at the discretion of the employer. In fact, it is always a good idea to mention that telecommuting is neither a perk nor an entitlement or benefit. Telecommute Connecticut!, a commuter service of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, provides Connecticut employers with free assistance to custom-design, develop and implement telecommuting best practices for qualified employees. For more information about Telecommute Connecticut!, visit www.telecommuteCT.com or call (800) 255-7433. Are you in compliance with state and federal posting requirements?CBIA
has all the posters you need to comply with your state and federal posting
obligations. Click
here to find out what your company needs to post. After you find out
what you need to post, click here for more information on CBIA's poster
kits.
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© 2003 Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA). All rights reserved. The articles, forms and other materials available through this Web site are for informational purposes only. They are not intended as legal advice or as a solution to an individual problem. You are encouraged to consult with appropriate legal counsel prior to relying on the materials in whole or in part.
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