Employment Law Conference

CBIA’s 2025 Employment Law Conference explored how labor and employment legislation is made, with a special panel discussion featuring state Senator Julie Kushner, co-chair of the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee, and state Representative Steve Weir, one of the committee’s two ranking members.

We also looked at strategies for harnessing artificial intelligence in the modern workplace, guiding attendees through the essentials of adoption and sharing practical strategies for implementing tools.

State police experts discussed how to recognize when aggressive or intolerant behavior rises to the level of a hate crime, detail the importance of reporting incidents, and explained employer responsibilities.

This year’s conference also explained common mistakes employers make that result in litigation, helped attendees navigate the potential minefield of employee accommodation requests, and showed how to distinguish between workplace harassment and bullying.

This program was approved for 5.5 HRCI Credits and 5.5 SHRM PDCs.

AGENDA

• Session presentations

7:30 | Networking Breakfast

8:30 am | Opening Remarks

• Diane Mokriski, HR Counsel, CBIA
• Abby Warren, Partner, Robinson+Cole

8:45 am | Labor & Employment Law: The Legislative Perspective 

• Moderator: Chris Davis, VP, Public Policy, CBIA 
• State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) 
• State Representative Steve Weir (R-Hebron) 

How does labor and employment law get made? What drives policymaking at the state level? Senator Julie Kushner, who has shepherded a number of significant workplace policies through the legislature in recent years as co-chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee, and committee ranking member Representative Steve Weir share their perspectives and address your questions.

9:30 am | Responding to Employee Accommodation Requests

• Rachel Kushel, Partner, Robinson+Cole 
• Abby Warren, Partner, Robinson+Cole  

When must an employer grant an employee’s accommodation request? Whether it’s a modified holiday schedule for religious reasons, time off for prenatal appointments, remote work for someone who can’t drive, or reduced hours due to anxiety, the world of accommodation requests can feel like a minefield. Title VII, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act—as well as state laws—all require employers to provide accommodations, but under varying standards and rules. Which ones apply to your business? And what process should you follow when determining how to respond? 

10:25 am | Networking Break

10:45 am | Understanding Hate Crimes 

• Moderator: Michael Bloom, Senior Director of External Affairs & Engagement, Connecticut Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection 
• Nicholas Caez, Sergeant, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit  
• Michael Dargan, Detective, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit 
• Julia Stoner, Detective, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit 

We’re living and working in an environment where we’re often confronted by aggression, animosity, and intolerance. When does that behavior amount to a hate crime? In this segment, we’ll learn what hate crimes are and are not, the importance of reporting incidents, and what to do if you’ve been a victim of a hate incident.  

11:15 am | How to Respond to Harassment & Bullying Complaints   

• Cindy Cieslak, Partner, Rose Kallor

In this session, we’ll continue our discussion about hate crimes by addressing an employer’s potential liability when faced with an employee who is either the victim or perpetrator of a hate incident. We’ll then shift our focus to harassment and bullying, emphasizing the crucial difference between those three offenses. Which behaviors are illegal, and which are simply unprofessional? Is there a difference between an employee who creates a “hostile work environment” and someone who’s just a jerk? We’ll explain why it matters and how to best respond to these complaints.

12:15 pm | Networking Lunch

1:15 pm | Strategic AI

• Bob DeLisa, Founder & CEO, Cooperative Systems

Join Bob DeLisa for an engaging session on harnessing AI to transform the modern workplace. This presentation will guide attendees through the essentials of organizational readiness for AI adoption. Attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing tools like Copilot, balancing innovation with security and privacy, accelerating value through rapid prototyping, and implementing humans-in-the-loop strategies. DeLisa will also provide a manager’s playbook for driving successful AI initiatives, ensuring your organization is prepared for the future of work. 

2:15 pm | How Not to Get a Letter from a Plaintiff’s Attorney

• Joshua Goodbaum, Partner, Garrison Law

What are the most common mistakes employers make that result in litigation? We go right to the source for that answer, hearing from an attorney who specializes in representing employees. This will be an invaluable opportunity to gain new perspective, hear what kinds of claims are most valuable to a plaintiff’s lawyer (and so most costly for an employer), and learn how to avoid them. This session will focus primarily on discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour complaints. 

3:15 pm | Adjourn