Welcome to Our Newest Members | |
A warm welcome to our newest members!* We encourage you to connect with them soon and see where your next partnership can be! | |
To advertise your business or organization in the December member marketplace and get premier placement for your company, contact David Huck at dhuck@waterburychamber.com or call 203-757-0701. Space is limited! $100 per ad. | |
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- Wednesday, November 13 at 2:30 p.m. - The Middle - 16 Straits Turnpike, Watertown
- Thursday, November 14 at noon - Raasa Indian Cuisine - 466 Heritage Road, Southbury
- Wednesday, November 20 at 3 p.m. - Blue Stone Massage - 1255 Middlebury Road, Suite 2-9, Middlebury.
- Thursday, November 21 at 2 p.m. - Shangri-La - 53 Interstate Lane - Waterbury, CT
Come out and help your fellow Chamber members come celebrate their special occasion!
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Members of the Waterbury Regional Chamber and its employees, including families living in the household, are eligible to receive a tuition reduction under a partnership established with Post University. This partnership also extends to the three affiliate Chambers in Naugatuck, Southbury, and Watertown Oakville.
Through the partnership, the employees of businesses who belong to the Chamber, their spouses and their family living in the household are eligible for a 20 percent tuition reduction but they must complete the application process. The tuition reduction is for online undergraduate and graduate programs, including high school family members looking to complete college coursework for general education requirements as well as nurses looking for advanced degrees
To learn more about Post University or this Chamber partnership, visit partners.
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From Our Newsletter Sponsor: Post University | |
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Experienced Higher Education Leaders Bring a Forward-Thinking Vision and a Personalized Focus on Innovation and Student Success
Post University is pleased to announce the appointments of two esteemed academic leaders, Venus Fisher, Ph.D., and James Stephen Lee, Ed.D., as deans of The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business and the School of Arts & Sciences, respectively. Both deans began their roles in September 2024, bringing a shared dedication to advancing the University’s mission of providing personalized, comprehensive and student-focused education.
“Dr. Fisher and Dr. Lee are exceptional leaders whose experience in curriculum development, student retention and accreditation will further enhance Post’s commitment to delivering a workforce-ready, accessible education that prepares students for success,” said Sandra G. Affenito, Ph.D., chief academic officer and provost. “There is no doubt that they will build on each school’s strong foundations and extend our impact on students.”
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Dr. Fisher, as dean of The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business, will be responsible for driving the strategic vision of the school, focusing on the development and implementation of dynamic business programs that align with industry trends and meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. With more than 15 years of leadership experience in higher education, she has held key positions at several institutions where she developed a proven track record in online program development and curriculum innovation. Her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion shapes her leadership approach, strengthening initiatives that foster an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
She holds a Ph.D. in business administration and organizational leadership from Northcentral University and a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in marketing from Roosevelt University.
As the new dean of Post’s School of Arts & Sciences, Dr. Lee will play a vital role in shaping the academic direction of the school, concentrating on the development of interdisciplinary programs that address the evolving needs of students and industries. With more than 20 years of experience in fostering institutional excellence and innovation, Dr. Lee is dedicated to enhancing the quality of education at Post. He will be responsible for developing student-centered curricula and fostering collaboration among faculty to ensure relevant programming meets the demands of today’s job market. Believing that education is the most powerful social and economic force worldwide, he has committed himself to strengthening local economies through targeted workforce development initiatives and expanding learning opportunities.
Dr. Lee holds a Doctor of Education in educational administration and acculturative psychology from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in biology from Harvard University.
Post University looks forward to the contributions and leadership of Dr. Fisher and Dr. Lee as they guide their respective schools in providing comprehensive, innovative educational experiences for all students.
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HR Corner: Recent Agency Guidance on Common Employment Practices | |
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Non-Compete Agreements & Stay-or-Pay Provisions
As previously reported, a federal judge recently judge struck down the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rule banning non-compete agreements and blocked its enforcement on a national basis. That ruling, which has been appealed to the Fifth Circuit, has not deterred the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which continues to take the position that non-compete agreements are unlawful under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo issued a memorandum on May 30, 2023 to all NLRB field offices setting forth her position that “the proffer, maintenance, and enforcement” of non-compete agreements violates the NLRA “except in limited circumstances.” GC Abruzzo explained that such provisions unlawfully chill employees from engaging in the following types of protected activity: (1) threatening to resign to secure better working conditions; (2) carrying out concerted threats to resign or otherwise concertedly resigning to secure improved working conditions; (3) concertedly seeking or accepting employment with a competitor to gain better working conditions; (4) soliciting co-workers to work for a competitor as part of a broader course of protected concerted activity; and (5) seeking employment, at least in part, to specifically engage in protected activity such as union organizing.
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GC Abruzzo also issued a memorandum on October 7, 2024 setting forth her position that certain “stay or pay” provisions violate Section 7 unless they are narrowly tailored to minimize infringement on the employee’s rights. “Stay-or-pay” provisions require employees to repay their employer if their employment ends—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—within a specified timeframe. These provisions are commonly included in tuition reimbursement agreements, training repayment agreements, sign-on bonuses and retention bonuses.
GC Abruzzo argues that stay-or-pay provisions, like non-compete agreements, “both restrict employee mobility, by making resigning from employment financially difficult or untenable, and increase employee fear of termination for engaging in activity protected by the Act.” GC Abruzzo went on to state that only provisions that seek to recoup the cost of optional benefits bestowed on employees and meet other requirements are legally permissible.
GC Abruzzo’s October 7th memorandum sets forth significant “make-whole” remedies for employees who are forced to sign unlawful non-compete or “stay-or-pay” agreements. These include, among other things, the difference in pay between what an employee earned at the employer and what they would have earned elsewhere, lost wages if an employee was out of work for longer than they otherwise would have been, or compensation for any costs the employee incurred in complying with an unlawful agreement, such as relocation or job training expenses.
Note that the GC’s memoranda do not apply to employees that are not covered under the NLRA, such as supervisory and managerial employees.
Use of Technology to Track or Evaluate Workers
Many employers are aware that they typically must follow a detailed process under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) if they hire a third-party to conduct background checks on job applicants. For example, employers must provide job applicants notice that they intend to procure a “consumer report”, obtain written permission from the job applicant before obtaining the report, and meet additional notice requirements if they intend to take any adverse action based on the report.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is now cautioning employers that they must comply with the FCRA if they make employment decisions based on tracking technology and artificial intelligence that uses third party information to generate a “score” or predict behavior about an employee. The CFPB noted that some employers “use third parties to monitor workers’ sales interactions, to track workers’ driving habits, to measure the time that workers take to complete tasks, to record the number of messages workers send and the quantity and duration of meetings they attend, and to calculate workers’ time spent off-task through documenting their web browsing, taking screenshots of computers, and measuring keystroke frequency.” Employers who use such third-party information should evaluate whether they must comply with the FCRA.
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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Out Now: Manufacturing Today | |
Watertown Oakville Chamber News | |
Hiring & Training Programs Available | |
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The Northwest Construction Careers Initiative
NCCI — The Northwest Construction Careers Initiative — offers Northwest Connecticut residents the opportunity to pursue a career in the construction and building trades. Job training and employment possibilities include:
- OSHA 10, OSHA 30, and Hazwoper certifications
- CORE Curriculum, which includes HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical.
Orientation sessions are held each Thursday at 249 Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury, CT beginning at 10AM. You do not need to RSVP to attend, but you will need to be on time to participate.
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Healthcare training program
The NRWIB is currently offering training opportunities in the following fields:
- Patient Care Technician
- Central Sterile Processing
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Certified Nurse’s Aide
- Community Health Worker
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CT WHISP Program
Connecticut Workforce & High-Tech Industry Skills Partnership (CTWhisp) Program offers a variety of IT career training at schools such as Naugatuck Valley Community College and Patrick’s Academy.
Naugatuck Valley Community College in partnership with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board is offering grant-funded, short-term (15 weeks), IT course clusters aligned with industry certifications and supportive services. Clusters include Networking, Programming, Systems, Software and Project Management. Each IT cluster has been mapped to Microsoft and/or CompTIA certifications. The course clusters are offered free of charge to eligible CTWHISP participants. Additional services include enrollment assistance, academic advising, and employment services. In addition to gaining skills and stackable credentials, participants at NVCC will earn between 9-12 college credits that may be used towards a degree.
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