A Note from our President, Lynn Ward |
Dear Chamber Member,
The official start to summer is less than a week away and here at the Chamber we have been busy planning for a wide range of events: networking opportunities, golf tournaments, and even a jazz festival in partnership with Main Street Waterbury.
On Tuesday, June 21, we will host a graduation ceremony for the Leadership Greater Waterbury at Post University's downtown Waterbury location on Bank Street. Learn about what our future leaders have been up to over the last several months and help us to congratulate them on all their hard work! You can RSVP to the event here.
Our next Out for Business networking event will take place on Wednesday, July 20 at Develomark in Plantsville. Come enjoy some food, beverages, networking with other Chamber Members, and get the chance to win one of several door prizes! Additional details are below; you can register here.
Are you a business looking to gain more exposure this summer? The Waterbury Regional Chamber, in partnership with Main Street Waterbury, will be hosting the Brass City Jazz Festival on Saturday, August 6. Event Chairman Al Taylor has put together a stellar lineup of musicians. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, click this link and contact Chris Caulfield. There will be a special VIP meet and greet event at the Mattatuck Museum the evening before the festival. Stay tuned for details!
We will be printing our annual Chamber Member Business Directory on August 4. This is a great opportunity to purchase an ad or featured listing to promote your business to more than 30,000 subscribers in the area. For more information, contact David Huck.
Save the date for our Health Care Council 17th Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony, taking place on Tuesday, August 16 from 7:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at Aria in Prospect. You can learn about the award recipients below!
Don't miss out on this month's HR column from Attorney Nick Zaino of Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP: there are many new laws taking effect come July 1. Stay tuned to our website and social media pages for continuous updates.
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.
Thank you, more than ever, for your continued membership,
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In This Issue:
- President's Note
- A Message from Newsletter Sponsor: Post University
- HR Corner
- In the News
- Welcome New Members
- Member Benefit Highlight
- Meet Our New Membership Director
- Upcoming Events & Opportunities
- Watertown-Oakville Chamber News
- Hiring/Training Programs
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Message From Newsletter Sponsor,
Post University
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The School of Continuing Education at Post University is helping learners build skills, advance careers and enrich lives.
Programs embedded in the School of Continuing Education include a myriad of professional development programs, a customizable High School Academy, and our Police Recertification Program.
The professional development courses include more than 100 short courses, certificates, and programs to support learners for what’s next in their academic and professional journey. These courses and certificates offer the opportunity to upskill for career advancement, reskill for new ventures, or gain skills for personal development. Courses topics range from leadership to technology, and business to creativity and innovation. We’ve also partnered with FranklinCovey to offer 5 certificates based on their publications, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We invite you to take the School’s complimentary Cultural Diversity and Awareness course. While geared toward learners in the Police Recertification program, the course is an opportunity for everyone to become educated on cultural diversity and awareness.
Post’s unique High School Academy offers high school students the chance to earn college credits. Students may apply through one of our 21 partner schools or on their own. Our on-site and online courses allow students to take a variety of college courses to get started on their collegiate journey.
Post University has created the Police Recertification Program, an innovative online training for police officers to enjoy the flexibility of completing training online at any time, while meeting the state standards for officer training. Police departments may realize significant financial savings with this easily accessible program.
Visit Post University’s School of Continuing Education to see the range of courses and programs that address your learning needs to help you succeed and grow.
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New Connecticut Employment Laws |
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The Connecticut Legislature’s “short session” ended on May 4, 2022. While many bills were proposed that would have significantly impacted the workplace, only a handful have been signed into law. Below is a summary of some key new laws, and some bills that did not pass but could be resurrected next year.
Expansion of the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA). The CFEPA prohibits discrimination and harassment based on various protected classes and prohibits retaliation against an employee for engaging in protected activity. CFEPA is similar to the federal anti-discrimination laws, except that CFEPA is broader in coverage (i.e., applies to a greater number of employers) and broader in scope (i.e., covers more protected classes). Effective October 1, 2022, the CFEPA will be further expanded in coverage to apply to all employers with one or more employees whereas currently it applies to employers with three or more employees.
Domestic Violence. Another significant expansion of the CFEPA is that, effective October 1, 2022, victims of domestic violence will be added as a protected class. Employers with three or more employees also will be required to post information concerning domestic violence and resources available to victims. And, lastly, all employers must provide a “reasonable leave of absence” for victims of domestic violence for a variety of reasons, such as seeking attention for injuries, counseling and to obtain legal services. The law does not define what is “reasonable” but does allows employers to obtain written certification to substantiate the need for leave. This new law is in addition to an existing state law that requires employers with three or more employees to provide up to 12 days of job-protected leave for “family violence”, defined slightly different than “domestic violence”. Employers should update their policies.
Captive Audience. Effective July 1, 2022, employers will be prohibited from requiring employees to attend any employer-sponsored meeting, listen to speech, or view any communications if the purpose if is to communicate the employer’s opinion on religious or political matters. The definition of “political matters” is broad and includes, among other things, the employer’s view on unionization.
Prevailing Wage. Under Connecticut law, employers that have certain contracts for the construction, remodeling, alteration or repair of certain public works projects must pay their employees working on such projects “prevailing wages.” Starting July 1, 2023, a new Connecticut law will significantly increase the penalties for violations by doubling the fine amount (up from $2500 to $5000 per violation) and subjecting employers to greater risk of debarment from future public contracts.
Some Notable Bills That Did Not Pass. Some bills that were proposed but did not pass included bills that would have:
- Significantly lowered the legal standard for bringing a harassment claim by eliminating the requirement that harassment be “severe or pervasive”, and eliminated certain employer defenses to such claims;
- Prohibited employers from including non-disparagement and no-rehire provisions in settlement agreements;
- Made workers’ compensation benefits available to all employees who suffer PTSD on the job, such as witnessing a death or traumatic physical injury;
- Provided unemployment to striking workers;
- Prohibited employers from replacing striking employees;
- Significantly limited the enforceability of non-competes, including an outright ban for non-exempt employees; and
- Expanded paid sick leave by requiring all private employers to provide five paid sick days and two weeks of COVID leave.
If you have questions about labor and employment matters, please contact a member of Carmody’s Labor and Employment team.
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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MyCTSavings Information Session
By Lynn Ward
Are you a business owner who doesn’t offer a retirement savings option for your employees?
MyCTSavings is a new—and free—easy retirement savings program created by the state of Connecticut that was recently launched. MyCTSavings gives businesses a simple and efficient way to level the playing field for small businesses to compete with the benefits packages that larger companies offer to help employees save and plan for their financial future. Across Connecticut, there are more than 600,000 private-sector employees who have no employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. Enrollment for small businesses—those with five to 25 employees—began in April. The program is also open to larger employers; those with 100 or more employees have until June 30, 2022 to either register with MyCTSavings, or opt out by verifying that they already sponsor a qualified retirement plan, such as 401(k) plan.
You may have previously heard about MyCTSavings in this column space, as the Chamber helped administrators bring awareness to a pilot program last year to help get businesses enrolled to provide feedback before the initiative made a full roll out.
Looking to learn more about what MyCTSavings could mean for your business? Join AARP Connecticut, Comptroller Natalie Braswell, and representatives from the MyCTSavings program on Thursday, June 16 at 1 p.m. for an informational webinar During the webinar, you will get an overview of the MyCTSavings program, learn which businesses are eligible, how to sign up, and learn ways to help educate employees about the retirement savings program.
“Everyone deserves a financially secure retirement,” Braswell stated during the recent launch. “The MyCTSavings program creates new opportunities for workers to plan for their futures and fills a critical need in the marketplace. The program is designed to be easy for employers to maintain and is optional for workers.”
MyCTSavings, which is overseen by the Connecticut Retirement Security Authority, was formed following the passage of state legislation in 2016 that took effect this year and required businesses who have more than five employees to participate in the new participant-funded retirement savings program or offer up their own qualified retirement savings plan. Those who work for covered employers will be automatically enrolled to contribute 3 percent of gross pay to a Roth IRA (post tax). Employees will have the option to change their contribution amounts or opt out at any time. The program is also aimed at not being burdensome for employers, as employers only need to provide an information pack to their employees and run payroll deductions.
“The aim of the program seems aligned with current trends in other retirements programs, which is to encourage and even automatically set up employees to begin saving for retirement,” said Timothy S. Kimpl, an attorney with Carmody, Torrance, Sandak, & Hennessey LLP.
Employers who have five to 25 employees have until March 30, 2023 to register with MyCTSavings. Employers who have 26 to 99 employees have until Oct. 31, 2022 to register, and employers who have 100 or more employees have until June 30, 2022 to register. Employers were notified via email or letters that were distributed in early April. As part of the registration process, employers will need to have access to their federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) and MyCTSavings Access Code.
Employers who already provide a qualified retirement plan need to certify their exemption from the program using an access code. If you are unsure if your plan qualifies, visit myctsavings.com or call 1-833-811-7435. To register for the June 16 event, visit: https://bit.ly/3GGnBQp
Lynn Ward is president and CEO of the Waterbury Regional Chamber. Contact her at 203-757-0701 Ext. 310 or lward@waterburychamber.com.
This column originally ran in the Republican-American on Monday, June 6, 2022.
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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 5/7/22 to 6/13/22
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As a member of the Waterbury Regional Chamber and our affiliate Chambers, you benefit from a wide array of connections, resources, programs, events, marketing opportunities, and other perks. Stay tuned over the next several months to this corner for how you can get the most out of our Chamber membership.
Save 35% on Your Monthly Parking Bill with the Waterbury Regional Chamber Affiliate Parking Program
Are you a business in downtown Waterbury that needs monthly parking for yourself or your employees? Park at the Bank Street Parking Garage and save over 35% on your monthly parking bill! The garage has 1,400 parking spaces and three convenient entrances, including on Bank Street, Cottage Place, and Field Street, which is just seconds off I-84 West (Exit 21/Meadow Street.)
The details:
- Available to Chamber members only
- Save 35% on your monthly parking bill
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Regular monthly rate:
$75; Chamber member only rate: $47.50 per month per card
- Let the Waterbury Regional Chamber do the administrative work for you
- $10 deposit per card
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To sign up, contact Finance and Member Relations Director Mandy Allen-Fischer at 203-757-0701 or by email.
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Meet Our New Membership Director |
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Laura Brown, an entrepreneur and small business owner, has joined the Chamber as Membership Director. As Membership Director, Laura will be responsible for growing and maintaining a robust, active, and involved membership. Having owned a gift shop for more than 20 years, Laura understands that small business owners have many responsibilities and that time is a valuable resource. Previously, Laura served as the Director of the Hamden Chamber of Commerce, worked as a Constituent Liaison/Group Tour Sales Manager for the Costal Fairfield County Convention and Visitor Bureau, and held the position of Local Marketing Manager for Applebee's Restaurants.
Connect with Membership Director Laura Brown:
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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Main Street Waterbury, an affiliate of the Waterbury Regional Chamber, and ACT Jams Productions will present the 2022 Brass City Jazz Fest on Saturday, August 6th from 2 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. on Grand Street in downtown Waterbury.
The free outdoor event, presented by Main Street Waterbury and ACT Jams Productions, features a host of acclaimed recording artists, including #1 Billboard Charting saxophonist Paul Taylor, world-renowned jazz bassist David Dyson, who will be performing with Unit 3 Deep featuring internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Lori Williams, #1 Billboard Charting Trumpeter Willie Bradley, and Connecticut’s own national recording jazz flutist Sherry Winston and saxophonist Doug Jones. Other performers include Taylor Sorice, along with the Brass City Jazz Fest Band, which is headed by the event’s musical director and bassist, Steve Clarke.
“The Brass City Jazz Committee, in conjunction with Main Street Waterbury, worked diligently to put together an all-star jazz line up that will delight audiences of all ages,” said Event Chairman Al Taylor. “We can’t wait to fill downtown Waterbury with the sweet sounds of jazz!”
If you are a business or organization looking to reach a new audience, or a music enthusiast, consider sponsoring the event. To learn more about sponsorship, contact Chris Caulfield at 203-757-0701 or email Chris Caulfield ccaulfield@waterburychamber.com
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2022 Honorees:
Leadership Award: Joan Doback, Chief Physician Assistant, Bone Health Coordinator, Waterbury Hospital
Unsung Hero Award: Derri Hamilton, RN, MSN, Program Director of Behavioral Health, Saint Mary’s Hospital/Trinity Health of New England
and April Waterman, RN, Head Nurse, ICES, Inc./We Do Life… Together
Award for Organizational Excellence: Naugatuck Valley Surgical Center
Health Advocate Award: Mayor N. Warren (Pete) Hess, Borough of Naugatuck
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With the various relief programs available during the pandemic, this important tax credit introduced with the CARES Act has become overlooked by many. If you are a small business with 500 employees or less, your business may be eligible to receive up to 50% of qualifying wages paid from March 13th to December 31, 2020. This includes employers receiving a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
If your business meets any of the following conditions, join us on June 28 to learn about these credits, whether you qualify, and how to claim them:
- Your business operation was fully or partially suspended during any calendar quarter of 2021 due to local, state, or federal requirements due to COVID-19
(Or)
- If your business endured a significant downturn in gross receipts (50% or more for the same calendar quarter in 2019) during the calendar quarter
Instructions:
Free to attend. Registration required.
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Watertown-Oakville Chamber News |
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Three business leaders will be honored at the 58th Annual Watertown/Oakville Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 as we celebrate our Chamber's accomplishments and supporters. Do you know someone who deserves recognition? Nominate them!
Community Leader of the Year
Presented to an individual within the business community for their dedication to economic development in our area. This person has an impact on the business community, demonstrates leadership, is involved in the community and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Unsung Hero
This person or organization has made substantive yet unrecognized contributions to the community, exhibits fair and honest business practices, either lives, works or owns a business in Watertown-Oakville, and does not have to be a Chamber member. Priority consideration is given to Chamber members.
Beautification Award
Presented to individuals, companies or organizations for efforts that add to the aesthetics of the area by improving their properties or key access points to the community. This person or business has made a special effort to improve and/or maintain a high standard of beautification of their property and is a Chamber member.
Nominations are due by June 15. Are you interested in sponsoring this event? Contact Events Director Chris Caulfield at 203-757-0701 Ext. 324 or by email.
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Hiring & Training Programs Available |
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Do you need help finding qualified workers for your business? Could you use some financial assistance to offset the cost of hiring and training new workers, or training your existing workforce?
The Waterbury Regional Chamber is working with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investments Board to help businesses in Greater Waterbury learn more about the available hiring and training programs and whether they qualify for them. This includes providing information on posting jobs on the states CThires.com website, as well as information about Manufacturing Innovation Fund Incumbent Worker Training, the apprenticeship program, hiring veterans and on-the-job training programs.
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