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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 29 Cybrexa appoints new chief medical officer Cybrexa erapeutics, a New Haven- based, clinical- stage oncology biotechnology company, recently named Dr. Michael N. Needle as the company's new chief medical officer. Cybrexa's drug pipeline aims to combat breast, ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers and a range of other tumors. Needle is a board-certified hematologist and oncologist, and he will oversee the continued development of the company's drug pipeline. Prior to joining Cybrexa, he served as CMO for Aveo Oncology, Array BioPharma, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and Consortium, and he was also vice president, pediatric strategy, at Celgene. Union Savings Bank names new VP Union Savings Bank has hired omas A. Balla- chino as its new vice president, senior commercial real estate lender. Ballachino, a Cromwell resident, will be responsible for origination and closing of commercial real estate loans and new business development for the Danbury-based bank. Ballachino has more than 34 years of experience in commercial real estate lending. He most recently worked as managing director for Axiom Capital Corp., in Cromwell. Mason expands with new account director Mason, an advertising and public relations firm, recently hired Leslie Alldredge as account director. e company has offices in Bethany, Stamford and New York City. Alldredge, a graduate of South- ern Connecticut State University, is responsible for account services with Mason clients. Alldredge has more than 20 years of advertising and marketing industry experience. Prior to joining Mason, she had positions with Cronin and Company, Ryan Partners, Market- ing Drive and North Castle. PR Society names 2022 Practitioner of the Year e Public Re- lations Society of America Greater Connecticut Chap- ter recently named Anita Ford Saunders, owner of AFS Com- munications, as its 2022 Practitioner of the Year. Saunders, a Middletown resident, was recognized at the organization's Dec. 13 Mercury Awards Ceremony in New Haven. Saunders was an Emmy Award-win- ning television producer before em- barking on a career in public relations that included roles at Trinity College, United Way of Central and Northeast- ern Connecticut, Yankee Gas Services Company, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Connecticut Public Television & Radio. Saunders was recently elected presi- dent of the Middlesex County NAACP. Carmody adds new real estate partner Law firm Carmody Torrance San- dak & Hennessey LLP recently added attorney Carolyn J. Cavolo to its real estate and land-use team. Cavolo focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactions, providing advice to owners, investors, developers, financial institutions and community clients. Cavolo also serves as chair of the real property section of the Connecti- cut Bar Association. n C - S u i t e E x p e r t ' s C o r n e r Michael N. Needle Thomas A. Ballachino Leslie Alldredge Anita Ford Saunders By Lori Alexander, Jason Stanevich and Paula Anthony C onnecticut has seen sweeping legis- lative changes in labor and employ- ment law in the past few years. e trend is likely to continue in 2023. Last year, as employers re- grouped from COVID restrictions and a challenging economy, they also adjusted to added workplace protections for vic- tims of domestic violence, broad chang- es to Connecticut's Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) laws, and protections for recreational marijuana users. Here are examples of some of those changes: 1. Connecticut's employment non-discrimination law added protect- ed classification for domestic violence victims. Employers must now pro- vide reasonable leaves of absence for victims to seek treatment, relocate or obtain other services, and they must post notices for employees about rights and available resources for victims of domestic violence. 2. While Connecticut expanded its FMLA provisions in 2019, including the addition of a paid leave compo- nent, those changes were not effective until January 1, 2022. Several months later, the Department of Labor issued final regulations to help address the lack of clarity regarding several key provisions. 3. Although Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize recreational mar- ijuana in July 2021, separate employ- ment provisions did not go into effect until a year later. Covered employers are not permitted to take action against employees based solely on a positive drug test unless the employer has a written policy prohibiting use of recre- ational marijuana outside the work- place. A policy is not required where there is reasonable suspicion to believe the employee is impaired at work. 4. Connecticut's hourly minimum wage increased to $14 effective July 1, 2022, and will rise to $15 June 30, 2023. Beginning January 1, 2024, in- creases will be tied to the Employment Cost Index rather than a fixed rate, thereby reflecting economic indicators. Issues to watch in 2023 ese legislative changes, coupled with the impacts of the pandemic, have resulted in new litigation against employers involving such issues as COVID-19 leaves of absence, vaccine and mask mandates, paid family leave, work-from-home accommodations, drug testing, and wage and hour issues, and such litigation will surely continue into 2023. As we move into 2023, employers should anticipate more legislative changes impacting the workplace from Gov. Ned Lamont and a Democrat-led General Assembly. Some measures that were unsuccess- ful last year will assuredly resurface in 2023. For example, limitations on arbi- tration and non-compete agreements have seen myriad proposals at both the state and federal levels for the past several years. Connecticut employers should expect to see these proposals again, especially given the traction gained in Washington with the recent passage of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act in February 2022, and the Speak Out Act. Predictive scheduling and expansion of paid sick leave — perennially favor- ites — will also likely be on the legis- lative agenda for the coming session, reflecting growing calls by employees, especially those in the service indus- tries, for required prior notice of any schedule changes. On the labor front, Connecticut em- ployers continue to face re-energized organizing efforts and a pro-union agenda advanced by the Connecticut General Assembly and National Labor Relations Board. Notably, the NLRB reported a 53% increase in union representation petitions filed with its regional offices in FY 2022 over those filed in FY 2021 — the highest number since FY 2016. Unfair labor practice charges in- creased by 19% in the same period. Much focus has been on the govern- ment's efforts to ban employers from holding group meetings to articulate their position concerning union or- ganizing. Organized labor achieved a long-sought political objective in Con- necticut with the passage of Senate Bill 163, "An Act Protecting Employee Freedom of Speech and Conscience." Effective July 1, 2022, this legislation prohibits mandatory employer-sponsored meetings, oen referred to by unions as "captive audience" meetings, which unions argue are major deterrents to organizing. e U.S. Chamber of Commerce, joined by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association and other trade groups, has filed suit challenging the legisla- tion on the grounds it is preempted by federal law and an unconstitutional violation of an employer's free speech and equal protection rights. In light of the unresolved questions about the legality of Senate Bill 163, employers may want to strategize now as to how they will operate under its ban on employer-sponsored meetings. n Lori Alexander, Jason Stanevich and Paula Anthony are shareholders in law firm Littler Mendelson's New Haven office. CT employers face host of new employment law challenges Lori Alexander Jason Stanevich Paula Anthony

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