New Decision Reaffirms Roadmap for Employers on the Interactive Process
The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed summary judgment for Electric Boat in Hanke v. Electric Boat Corp., rejecting the employee’s disability discrimination, failure‑to‑accommodate, and retaliation claims. The court held that Hanke never qualified for a reasonable accommodation because he did not request a formal leave of absence or provide a return date. The decision reinforces that applying for disability benefits is distinct from requesting a leave, and that indefinite leave is not a reasonable accommodation under state law. The ruling highlights the importance of documented interactive‑process communications.
New Podcast Episode: When HR Meets Operations
The latest episode of the "From Lawyer to Employer" podcast features veteran HR leader Jeanine Reckdenwald discussing her transition from pure HR to an operations‑focused role. The conversation highlights how HR decisions intersect with finance, customer experience, and overall business...
Can You Take a Joke? Fifteen Years Later, the Answer Is Still “Maybe”
The blog revisits April Fools’ Day workplace prank litigation, recalling two 2011 cases and highlighting the 2023 *Banks v. GM* decision where a single noose created a hostile‑work‑environment claim. It underscores that jokes targeting race, sex, religion or disability cross the...
Connecticut Appellate Court Delivers a Triple Punch in Tip Credit Cases
The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed trial courts' motions to strike three tip‑credit class actions—Farias v. Rodriguez, Woodford v. HRG Management, and Vasquez v. Sliders Restaurant Group. The court held that the old tip‑credit record‑keeping provisions (old E3) do not create...
Bostock, Executive Orders, and the Evolving Framework for Gender Identity Discrimination: Takeaways From the ABA ERR Conference
At the ABA Employment Rights and Responsibilities Midwinter Meeting, panelists examined the EEOC’s recent Selina S. v. Driscoll decision, which reinterprets Title VII to allow federal agencies to restrict transgender employees from gender‑aligned facilities, overturning the 2015 Lusardi precedent. The...
General Assembly Poised to Consider Wide Array of Workplace Bills
Connecticut’s General Assembly is set to hear a slate of employment‑focused bills during the week of March 9, 2026, ranging from an omnibus workforce‑development measure (HB 5003) to targeted reforms on NDAs, AI hiring tools, and wage transparency. Key proposals include expanding...
Upcoming Panel on Gender Identity and Workplace Protections with Former EEOC General Counsel
An upcoming ABA Employment Rights and Responsibilities Midwinter Meeting in Nashville will feature a panel on “Bostock, Executive Orders and the Evolving Framework for Gender Identity Discrimination.” The discussion, moderated by Meta’s Nicole Groves Bridgeforth, includes former EEOC General Counsel...
New Podcast Episode: What Employers Need to Know About Arbitration Clauses
The latest "From Lawyer to Employer" podcast episode tackles arbitration clauses in employment contracts, featuring host and Emily McDonough Souza. It outlines arbitration’s speed, privacy, and legal focus while warning against treating it as a default solution. The discussion highlights...
Did You Hear That? Smart Glasses, AI Voice Recorders and Workplace Recordings
Employers now face a wave of discreet recording tools—from Ray‑Ban Meta smart glasses to AI‑powered voice recorders like Plaud and auto‑joining meeting bots that generate searchable transcripts. Connecticut’s one‑party consent rule for in‑person conversations and stricter electronic‑monitoring statutes mean many...