Paid FMLA in ‘Christmas Tree’ Bill

State lawmakers used the special session to revive many proposals from the regular session and pack them, along with other measures, into a “Christmas Tree” budget implementer bill.

Some of the extra-fiscal “presents” of the 600-plus page bill are measures that will impact Connecticut businesses and the state’s competitiveness.

Here are just some of the measures contained in the implementer bill:

Paid FMLA: Directs the state Labor Department to start developing and implementing a new paid family and medical leave program.

Wages:

• Allows an employee to bring a civil action against an individual at a business for failure to make payments to an employee welfare fund.
• Creates a 13-person Connecticut Low Wage Employer Advisory Board within the Department of Labor to look at the factors behind low-wage employment in the state.

Workers’ comp:

• Requires any medical provider disputing a payment in a workers’ comp claim to file within one year from when the initial payment for services was made.
• Requires employers with approved worker's compensation managed care plans to provide an injured employee with a list of approved medical providers within two days of reporting the claim.  

Competitiveness commission: Creates a new state economic competitiveness commission to analyze the impact of tax policy on businesses and help develop policies promoting Connecticut’s economic growth.

Minority businesses: Allows 1% from the Small Business Express program to be used to “develop capacity for capital construction projects for minority business enterprises.”

High-speed Internet: Creates an Office of State Broadband to expand access to high-speed broadband service across Connecticut. Electricity ratepayers will pay for the new office.

Congestion relief: Directs state agencies to develop and implement an accident response plan to more efficiently clear congestion caused by traffic accidents.

Electric rates: Limits the fixed portion of residential electricity bills and bars shifting the cost of any lost revenues to commercial or industrial customers.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Bonnie Stewart at 860.244.1925 | bonnie.stewart@cbia.com | @CBIAbonnie