Hartford Business Journal

14 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | DECEMBER 15, 2025 That's true for AI Engineers, which frequently recruits overseas students from U.S. master's programs. But the company has also had a talent pipeline from its office in Pakistan, and Islam says that's now on hiatus. Islam said he expects many compa- nies to back away from using the H-1B program, which he believes will worsen an already tight labor market in fields like civil engineering. He said the shortage is especially pronounced in mid-level roles typically filled by H-1B holders. "Those people come with so much experience, they end up being the mentors to a lot of those entry-level kids at the undergrad level," he said. The changes to the system seem- ingly are not over. In early December, President Donald Trump announced plans to increase H-1B applicant vetting and shorten work-permit duration for asylum seekers from five years to 18 months, raising new concerns over renewals and processing delays. Employers are also grappling with shifts to the temporary protected status (TPS) system. TPS is a humanitarian designation for people fleeing natural disasters or conflict. When Trump became president in January, 19 nationalities were eligible. The administration has since ended the status for seven countries, with more scheduled to end in 2026. TPS holders can receive an employ- ment authorization document. While it's difficult to pinpoint precise numbers, Connecticut may have had as many as 9,460 TPS holders as of March 2025. Haitians are routinely cited as one of Dogged Pursuit CT animal behaviorist alleges corporate espionage in trade secrets dispute By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A nimal behaviorist Allyson Salzer thought moving 1,300 miles from Missouri to Connecticut would put sufficient distance between herself and her former employer. After leaving the pet-training company Beyond the Dog LLC in March 2023, Salzer relocated to Glastonbury to build her own animal consulting business, Canine Behavioral Blue- prints, which specializes in behavioral psychology for dogs struggling with aggression, phobias and fearfulness. "I moved across the country from Beyond the Dog, and simply just wanted to be left alone," Salzer recently told the Hartford Business Journal. But her former employer, based in Kansas City, had other plans. What followed would grow into a federal court battle that highlights a larger question facing employers and workers: how far companies can go to protect proprietary business methods when an employee leaves, and where the line exists between safeguarding information and suppressing competition. The lawsuit The trouble began when Beyond the Dog filed a federal suit against Salzer in October 2024 — more than a year after she left her position as a dog training and behavior specialist. Beyond the Dog's suit claims Salzer stole proprietary information, including an algorithm for analyzing dog behavior that assigned numerical values based on factors like breed, history of biting and acquisition method. It alleges breach of a noncom- pete agreement, misappropriation of trade secrets, unjust enrichment and unfair competition. Salzer, who has a Ph.D. in behavioral psychology, argues those claims are baseless and has filed a counterclaim alleging that Beyond the Dog mounted a campaign to tarnish her reputation and push her out of the industry. In a motion filed May 9 seeking Allyson Salzer is the founder of Glastonbury-based Canine Behavioral Blueprints, a dog-training and behavior consulting business. Contributed Photo TOP H-1B EMPLOYERS IN CT (FY 2025) EMPLOYER H-1B BENEFICIARIES YALE UNIVERSITY 207 QUEST GLOBAL SERVICES-NA 79 SS&C TECHNOLOGIES 76 SYNCHRONY BANK 75 HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE CO. 68 STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER INC. 67 CYIENT INC. 55 YALE NEW HAVEN HOSPITAL 52 GARTNER INC. 49 UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HUMAN RESOURCES 46 HARTFORD HEALTHCARE MEDICAL GROUP INC. 45 POINT72 42 SOLSTICE SOLUTIONS INC. 40 POINT72 ASSET MANAGEMENT 40 CYMA SYSTEMS INC. 39 BRIDGEWATER ASSOCIATES 38 UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER 33 NORTHEAST MEDICAL GROUP INC. 33 AQR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT 31 INTERACTIVE BROKERS 29 Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services the largest TPS groups in the state, and temporary protected status for them will end Feb. 3, 2026. Once TPS ends, that person becomes undocumented, and it's illegal to employ them. They also risk deten- tion and deportation. In Connecticut, that could significantly affect sectors such as health care and education. Bucin said employers want to stay compliant by avoiding unauthorized hires while still trying to help affected workers. Options for workers include seeking asylum, pursuing employ- er-sponsored green cards, or obtaining sponsorship from family members, particularly those in the U.S. military. "If you're eligible for something, file and file (as soon as possible)," is Bucin's advice. Workforce Crunch Continued from page 13 She acknowledged that many people may now be afraid to interact with federal immigration authorities, given stories about people being detained when they show up for hearings. 'Arbitrary and capricious' A big change for Bucin this year has been the number of in-person interac- tions she's had with federal officials. "It used to be paper-only interactions before 2025," she said. "We're back to in-person interviews for all green cards." That increase in red tape is likely to be exacerbated by another recent change. In October, DHS said it would no longer automatically extend employment autho- rization documents for people filing renewal applications in most categories. Previously, if a work authorization was expiring but a renewal application had been filed on time, employment eligibility was automatically extended. Now, once authorization expires, the person can no longer work, even with a valid application pending. The change is so concerning that numerous attorneys general, including Connecticut's William Tong, have written to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, calling the new rule "arbitrary and capricious." Pelc-Faszcza, of Shipman & Goodwin, said that as 2025 has progressed and work-authorization rules have grown increasingly complicated and uncertain, she's seeing more employers hesitate to even pursue immigrant hires. "Employment-based green card applications through permanent labor certification have gone way down this year," she said. "I'm almost getting the feeling like certain employers are more hesitant than ever to sponsor temporary workers."

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