A Message from our President |
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Dear Chamber Member,
Happy Spring! It was great to see so many Members on Thursday at our Legislative Breakfast at the Crystal Room. Thank you to Senator Joan Hartley, Rep. David Labriola, and Rep. Rosa Rebimbas for their time and information discussions. A special thank you to Ion Bank for sponsoring this event, along with Chairman Kevin McSherry and Public Policy Chairman Jack Traver, Jr for leading the event and moderating.
After an absence for the past two years, except for our virtual celebrations, we are in full swing planning for the return of our in-person Duck Race and Festival, taking place Sunday, June 5, 2022 in downtown Naugatuck. Head to duckday.com to learn about sponsorship, as well as see the opportunities for food and business vendors, arts and crafts vendors, and more.
On Monday, June 27, we will host the 28th Annual Naugatuck Chamber and YMCA Golf Outing at the Watertown Golf Club. Secure your sponsorship now! |
We hope to see you at an upcoming event!
Please don't hesitate to reach out to me and share how we can support your business at lward@waterburychamber.com or (203) 757-0701.
Thank you for your continued membership,
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- President's Note
- Ribbon Cutting Recap
- Upcoming Events
- HR Corner Corner by Carmody, Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP
- Hiring and Training Programs Available
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Policy Alert: An Act Concerning a Fair Work Week Schedule |
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By Joe Violette
Public Policy & Economic Development Director
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House Bill 5353, known as the "predictive scheduling" bill, will impact scheduling in industries such as wholesale, franchises, retail, restaurant, hotels, and residential care facilities. Franchise networks will be hit hardest by this as employment will be counted under the national brand not the local franchise owner. Many family-owned, small business franchises will be unduly penalized with costs and added hurdles to running their brick-and-mortar franchise in Connecticut.
The Chamber opposes this anti-business legislation. At a time when Connecticut is trying to regain its economic footing, this bill will get in the way of business, job opportunities and further increase costs.
Below I have provided some reasons why this legislation is bad for business, employees, and consumers.
Flexible Scheduling is Necessary
- Flexible scheduling benefits employees of all ages and demographics.
- High schoolers working a summer job, college students who may not want to work during final exams, adults looking for part-time work while their children are in school or retirees who enjoy the socialization and want to supplement their income.
Businesses Balance Customer and Employee’s Needs
- Flexible scheduling reflects a balance between meeting the needs of customers and honoring the value that employees bring.
- Employers need to be able to respond to the rapidly changing business environment, including peak seasons or special events, where changes to the anticipated schedule are both necessary and unavoidable.
Scheduling is a Complex Process
- Scheduling is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, but rather a very complex process.
- Scheduling is often built around the availability of employees. In addition to the preferences and availability of employees, other data points are crucial when formulating a schedule, such as: sales forecasts, delivery schedules, breaks, payroll hours, events, and changes in customer volume.
- Unanticipated inclement weather, public events adjacent to or surrounding a store location, or public transit issues are all beyond a business’s control and impact scheduling. Living through the pandemic has taught us all that circumstances can change very quickly and are sometimes beyond our control.
Rigid Scheduling Is An Anti-Business and Anti-Employee Mandate
- Employees would have to provide their availability further out, sometimes more than 30 days in advance, which may be a challenge for day care, school schedules and other outside commitments. Some of which may be influenced by the same circumstances impacting employers.
- Employers will be less likely to make changes to their schedule – such as adding hours for employees or accommodating last minute requests – due to penalty pay provisions, costing employee’s hours and income, and often resulting in less flexibility.
- The further out schedules are required to be posted, the less accurate the forecasting model becomes at predicting staffing that meet immediate business needs and changing dynamics.
Unintended Consequences Could Bring Additional Adverse Impacts
- To comply with rigid scheduling laws, employers may need to offer fewer hours to current employees due to artificial constraints on the ability to fill open shifts or make changes due to changing business needs.
- Compliance with these laws can have an impact on company culture, potentially limiting open communication between employers and employees.
The Chamber urges you to contact your legislator regarding this issue AS SOON AS POSSIBLE urging them to OPPOSE this bill!
Sen. Joan Hartley, D-15th District (Waterbury, Naugatuck, Prospect):
860-240-0006
Rep. David Labriola, R-131st District (Naugatuck, Oxford, Southbury):
860-240-8700
Sen. Jorge Cabrera, R-17th District (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck, Woodbridge):
860-240-8800
Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-70th District (Naugatuck):
860-240-8700
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Ribbon Cutting Recap: Bridge Cigar Shop |
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On Tuesday, April 12, the Naugatuck Chamber held a ribbon cutting for the Bridge Cigar Shop, located at 155 Quinn Street. The owners, Paul Markette and Chuck Cammarata, are two retired police officers that decided they wanted to go into business doing what they always enjoyed - smoking fine cigars!
Paul's grandfather owned the original Bridge Cigar Shop located many years ago in Derby Connecticut. When Paul and Chuck were deciding on a name, it was an easy choice to open under the old cigar shop name.
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June 5: Duck Day Race & Festival |
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Join thousands of attendees as 20,000 rubber ducks are launched into the Naugatuck River. In addition to the famous duck race, the day also includes a myriad
of festivities, vendors and crafters, games, and live entertainment, there is something for everyone! As a sponsor, Duck Day offers your business unique marketing and on site promotional opportunities. Participating in this annual community event builds name recognition, creates brand awareness, and increases customer loyalty. Get involved in Naugatuck's biggest event of the year!
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June 27: 28th Annual Naugatuck Chamber & YMCA Golf Outing |
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May 4: Out for Business in Oxford |
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April 13: Legislative Breakfast Recap |
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Share your business events, news and announcements with your fellow Chamber members! |
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HR Corner: State Begins Sending Reminders to Connecticut Employers to Adopt Their Own Retirement Plan or Register with the MyCTSavings Program
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In 2016, Connecticut enacted legislation to ensure that most employers in the state offer their employees a way to save for retirement, either through a traditional employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k) plan, or a payroll deduction program to be developed by the state.
Fast-forward nearly six years later, that payroll deduction program has finally arrived. As a result, employers in Connecticut will need to take action by either adopting their own retirement plan or enrolling their employees in the new state program over the next several months.
On Friday, April 1, 2022, a three-month period begins for Connecticut employers with 100 or more employees to either register with, or opt out of, the MyCTSavings program overseen by the Connecticut Retirement Security Authority (“CRSA”). Employers that already offer their employees one or more qualified retirement plans, such as a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, traditional pension or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP), are exempt from the program. However, exempt employers must still opt out of the state program by certifying to the state that they already offer a qualified retirement plan to their workforce, according to the CRSA.
Under the 2016 law, known as Public Act 16-29, the MyCTSavings program applies to many small businesses in Connecticut. Covered employers include any business, including nonprofits, that had at least five (5) employees who received at least $5,000 in wages in the prior calendar year. Employees are eligible to participate in the program if they have worked for a covered employer for at least 120 days and are at least 19 years of age. The law provides a default employee payroll deduction of 3% of the employee’s gross pay to a Roth IRA, which is a post-tax contribution that grows tax-free under current federal law. Employees may individually opt out of this savings program, or adjust their contribution rate within certain limits.
The first registration/opt-out deadline, referred to as “Wave 1” by the CRSA, is June 30, 2022, and applies to larger employers (100+ employees). The registration/opt-out deadlines for smaller businesses are as follows:
· “Wave 2” (employers with 26-99 employees): April 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022.
· Wave 3” (employers with 5-25 employees): April 1, 2022 through March 30, 2023.
Covered employers that fail to facilitate employee participation in the program may be liable for penalties.
If you have questions about what you can do to improve your employee retention, 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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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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