Now that the first quarter has completed, let’s look at a number of Connecticut and Federal regulatory compliance updates and/or additions that employers need to be reminded of:

EEOC Data Collection

As I noted in my blog of February 8, private employers must complete the EEO-1 Component 1 data collection beginning in April of this year. The EEOC portal will be open on April 26, and must be completed by July 19 for both 2019 and 2020 years.

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Signed into Law by President Biden on March 11, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is in effect. 

Among the main components of the plan for employers:

• 100% COBRA subsidy for employers – April 1 through September 30 of this year
• Continuation of voluntary paid leave under the FFCRA of 2020 and resulting tax credits for employers that partake in it. This is effective April 1 through September 30. Additionally, employees who exhausted extended sick and FMLA leave in 2020 can now receive additional time.
• The Employee Retention Tax Credit is expanded up to as much as $33,000 per employee for all of 2021.
• Unemployment benefits have been extended including a federal subsidy of an additional $300 per week between March 14 and September 6. 

Connecticut Sexual Harassment Training

As I noted in my February 11 blog update, Connecticut’s requirement to provide sexual harassment prevention training to all employees has been postponed a number of times, with the most recent deadline of April 19. 

Keep an eye on this date as it may be updated again.

CT Paid Family & Medical Leave

A reminder that all Connecticut employers with at least one employee must be registered with the Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Authority (PFMLIA) as of  December 31, 2020. Learn more.

Employee deductions were to begin on January 1 of this year, and the program would be effective for employees to access on January 1 of next year. By the end of January of this year, it was reported that upwards of 60% of Connecticut employers had not yet registered. Employers must register and be prepared to transmit the Q1 employee duction funds to the Authority.

Connecticut Minimum Wage Increases

A reminder that the minimum wage in Connecticut increases to $13 per hour on August 1 of this year. Learn more.

Form I-9 Requirement Flexibility

The flexibility adjustment for employers in completing a new employee’s I-9 expires on March 31. Unless the Department of Homeland Security extends the flexibility requirement, employers are to revert to the standard process as of April 1.

Update: 4/22

Two new Connecticut bills have been voted on and passed in the past 30 days. One has become law, the other will likely as well.

The Crown Act

The Crown Act became state law in March. The Act: 

• Makes it Illegal to discriminate in employment based on a person’s hair texture or protective hairstyle.
• Changes the legal definition of race to – “ethnic traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles.”
• Includes protective hairstyles including wigs, headwraps and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs.
• Connecticut joins seven other states including New York and New Jersey that have recently passed similar acts.

Bill Preventing Age Discrimination – Passed by the Connecticut Senate in April

• The Bill would prevent employers with three or more employees from asking applicants for their date of birth on an employment application.
• Bill would also prevent employers from asking applicants for their High School or College graduation dates on an employment application.
• Connecticut joins seven other states including New York and New Jersey that have recently passed similar acts.

Employers can prepare for these two Acts by:

• Updating their talent acquisition and hiring practices.
• Communicating and educating all supervisors on the components of each Act.
• Updating employment applications to be compliant.

KardasLarson is ready to assist employers in assuring regulatory compliance with these two new Acts.