A Note from our President, Lynn Ward |
Dear Chamber Member,
It was great to see so many of you in Southbury last week at our Festival of Wreaths and Pop-Up Out for Business events the Heritage Hotel. You can see some highlights from the event below, as well as a link to the complete photo gallery. Thank you to the Heritage Hotel for hosting and Event Chairwoman Wendy Mutter for her dedication to making the evening a great success!
Our annual Holiday Gathering will take place this Wednesday, December 14 at La Bella Vista in Waterbury from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thank you to the Waterbury Board of Directors for their generous support of this event. This is always an enjoyable and well-attended event. We hope to see you there! Click here to register. Don't forget to bring an unwrapped toy, which will be distributed to Waterbury Youth Services and area families in need.
Incase you missed the announcement, through the Waterbury Regional Chamber Travel Program, we will be headed to Greece October 27 to November 3, 2023. You can find details here.
Save the date for our next Out for Business, which will take place on January 25 at Holy Cross High School. Register now here.
We had a great turn out for the November 16 job fair that we held, in partnership with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, in downtown Waterbury. We had more than 60 area companies that participated and hundreds of job seekers. We will host our next job fair on Tuesday, February 1, 2023 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott Waterbury Downtown. Space is limited and will fill up fast. If you are interested in reserving a space for your company at the job fair, email Joe Violette at jviolette@waterburychamber.com
One of the Chamber's most prestigious business events, the annual Malcolm Baldrige Chamber Awards Evening, will take place on February 23, 2023 at the Aqua Turf. Secure your sponsorship by January 10 to ensure full marketing exposure, including your company's logo or name on the event invitation that will be sent to the area's top business professionals. Stay tuned for the announcement of this year's Malcom Baldrige Award recipient. You can register for the dinner here.
The Business Women's Forum, Connecticut's premier leadership and professional development event, is happening on March 15, 2023 at the Aqua Turf and will feature fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff as our keynote speaker. Visit ctbwf.com and use code EarlyBird23 to save on admission now until December 31. If you are a business looking to reach new markets, we encourage you to consider sponsoring the 40th Business Women's Forum. We just added Tami Evans, an expert in employee engagement and levity leadership, as one of our motivational speakers. Stay tuned for additional announcements.
This holiday season, I encourage you to support our Chamber Members when shopping. If you need ideas, check out our online directory, available here. I'll be on WATR Radio on Thursday, December 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. to highlight some unique shopping destinations within the area, as well as provide an update on upcoming Chamber events. Please tune in!
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You can reach me, as always, at (203) 757-0701 or lward@waterburychamber.com. Keep scrolling for this month’s updates and events to take full advantage of what our Chamber has to offer.
Happy Holidays!
Thank you, more than ever, for your continued membership,
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In This Issue:
- President's Note
- In the News
- A Message from Newsletter Sponsor: Post University
- HR Corner
- Welcome New Members
- Upcoming Events & Opportunities
- Southbury Chamber News
- Watertown Oakville Chamber News
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Message From Newsletter Sponsor: Post University |
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Post University Hosts Third Annual New Year's Day Fireworks Display for Waterbury Residents |
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Post University will once again present Waterbury residents with a dazzling New Year’s Day fireworks show. The spectacular display, featuring the visual artistry of the special effects company Pyrotecnico, will light up the sky on Sunday, January 1, at 6:30 p.m. The 23-minute show will also be livestreamed via www.post.edu/fireworks.
The fireworks will be launched from the historic Holy Land USA theme park allowing for a high degree of from vantage points across the city. For those without a direct line of sight to the display, the evening’s programming will be livestreamed on Post University’s website.
The Waterbury New Year’s fireworks display promises to elicit “oohs” and “aahs” as the night sky illuminates for this impressive spectacle. The show will feature Pyrotecnico’s famous aerial display, with a unique and creative approach to fireworks choreography. The event also will include a special segment to highlight Post University’s school colors, purple and orange.
In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks show will be rescheduled for January 2 at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the Third Annual New Year’s Day Fireworks Display, please visit www.post.edu/fireworks.
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HR Corner: Unlimited Paid Time Off Policy: Is It Right for Your Business? |
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In a tight labor market, employers are searching for ways to enhance their employee benefits to attract new employees and retain current ones. Some employers are considering unlimited paid time off (PTO) for their employees. Sound like a crazy idea? Well, some large companies, like Netflix, Oracle and LinkedIn, have adopted such policies.
What is Unlimited PTO?
Unlimited PTO is what its name suggests. Employees neither accrue nor are they assigned a fixed number of PTO. Instead, employees can take paid time off when needed provided employees keep up with their workload and their absences do not disrupt business operations. This provides employees significant flexibility.
Why Do Some Employers Adopt an Unlimited PTO Policy?
A primary reason why employers adopt an unlimited PTO policy is because employees like it. A survey conducted by MetLife in 2019 found that 72% of employees favored an unlimited PTO policy. Therefore, such a policy can be a real morale booster and an important benefit to offer prospective employees. Employers who adopt unlimited PTO also strive to build a culture of trust by allowing employees to use their discretion as to when and how much leave they can take while still fulfilling their job duties and responsibilities.
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- Reduces the administrative burden of tracking paid time off, carryover, and payment upon separation of employment
- Can build trust between an employer and its employees
- Promotes a work-life balance, thereby serving as a strong recruitment and retention benefit
- There are some studies showing that employees who take time off and prioritize a work-life balance are more productive
- Employees may be less inclined to come to work when they are sick
Cons
- There are many laws that require employers to provide unpaid time off, such as military leave, leave for victims of domestic violence and disability leave. An unlimited PTO policy must address whether employees can use their unlimited PTO while taking these legally protected leaves. An unlimited PTO policy must also address whether employees can use their PTO to supplement their paid Connecticut FMLA leave up to their full wages. These restrictions can undermine the concept of “unlimited” PTO and create administrative burdens.
- Employees may abuse the amount of PTO they take, resulting in morale issues among other employees who use less PTO
- It may be more difficult to discipline employees for “excessive absenteeism” and, therefore, supervisors and managers must be vigilant in managing performance
- Without a standard for how much PTO employees can take, supervisors and managers may have different tolerances for employees absences resulting in perceptions of unfairness
- Scheduling issues if many employees take time off around certain popular times, such as holidays and summer months
Although unlimited PTO policies have gained some traction, a vast majority of employers continue to provide a fixed amount of PTO. Employers considering an unlimited PTO policy must understand and weigh the pros and cons. While an unlimited PTO policy may sound enticing, there can be complications.
This information is for educational purposes only to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. It does not constitute legal advice and does not establish any attorney-client relationship.
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A warm welcome to our newest members!* We encourage you to connect with them soon and see where your next partnership can be!
*Joined 11/14/22 to 12/9/22
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Submit Your News and Social Media Content |
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Do you have upcoming events, company news, or other-related information you'd like the Chamber to promote in our January Chamber Member newsletter or on one of our many social media platforms? You can submit your content by emailing Communications Director David Huck or Social Media Associate Amy Wergin. |
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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This Wednesday: December 14 - Annual Holiday Gathering |
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27th Annual Malcolm Baldrige Chamber Awards Evening: Sponsorship Opportunities |
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Highlight your business at this premier awards evening on February 23, 2023 with our many sponsorship opportunities. Depending on your sponsorship level, speaking opportunities at the event, your company logo on the event invitation and banner, publicity in news articles, eblasts, and more. To ensure full marketing exposure, secure your sponsorship with Events Director Chris Caulfield via email or by calling 203-757-0701 by January 10, 2023.
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World-renowned fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff will be the keynote speaker during the Business Women’s Forum on March 15, 2023.
The Business Women’s Forum, which is now in its 40th year, is Connecticut’s largest and longest running conference for women in the state devoted to professional and personal development. The event will take place at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. Throughout the day, attendees will hear from a variety dynamic speakers and trainers, get the opportunity to network with hundreds of other professional women, and get the chance to win prizes.
Additional speakers for the 2023 event will be announced in the coming weeks.
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The program uses $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to establish a matching grant program that would support property owners within the district who were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the program, eligible property owners can receive up to $100,000 to be used for interior or exterior buildout costs for vacant ground floor-level retail space. Property owners with vacant storefronts are eligible for a grant of $50 per square foot, up to $100,000. Any grant awarded to a property owner must be matched at 100 percent by the owner of the property, the tenant, or a combination of both parties. Additionally, Waterbury businesses can be eligible for up to $10,000 to relocate to the Central Business District or to another location within the City.
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December 7 Festival of Wreaths Wrap-Up |
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Watertown Oakville Chamber News |
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New Member Spotlight: Litchfield Hills Motor Cars |
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We're so excited to welcome Litchfield Hills Motor Cars to the Chamber! Founded in 2008, owner John McCormick specializes in the sourcing of pre-owned inventory for new vehicle and select independent dealerships. Last year, a direct-to-consumer dealership was opened to offer their most desirable cars to customers in person or online.
Litchfield Hills Motor Cars making purchasing a new car headache free by offering no-haggling needed pricing, easy access to financing, trade-in options, vehicle drop off, and the ability to issue new plates and take care of other DMV-related matters for you. Check out their inventory here: https://www.litchfieldhillsmotorcars.com/inventory
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