Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1545365
26 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 15, 2026 Opinion & Commentary By Lisa A. Zaccardelli & Julianna Malogolowkin S weeping workforce legisla- tion was recently signed by Gov. Ned Lamont, and the compliance clock is now ticking for Connecticut employers. Here are some key changes employers should know. Wage transparency As of Oct. 1, 2026, Connecticut's wage disclosure requirements will expand to include a position's wage or wage range and a benefits descrip- tion in job advertisements. "Benefits" is broadly defined to include health, retirement, fringe and paid leave bene- fits, plus any additional compensation. The benefit disclosure timeline has been accel- erated from the time of making an offer to the applicant's request, while the "wage range" is defined in a way that offers employers flexibility in the compensation they reasonably expect to provide, but also mandates earlier disclosure. The law also clarifies geographic reach to include any position outside of the state where the employee reports directly to a super- visor or office located within Connecticut. Additionally, the law requires employers with 100-plus employees to publish in multiple languages guides explaining pay codes, overtime codes and wage differentials on pay stubs. Employer actions: Train HR profes- EXPERT'S CORNER Here's what employers need to know about CT's new workplace legislation sionals on the new disclosures, update all job postings to include wage ranges and benefits, and work with payroll to publish compliant pay code guides. Employment promissory notes The law, also on Oct. 1, expands the prohibition on employment promissory notes to all employers, regardless of size. Such agreements require workers to repay an employer for certain costs — such as training, onboarding or signing incentives — if they leave a job before a specified time period. Any notes executed as a condition of employment after Oct. 1, 2026, are void, though this does not affect any other employment agreement provisions. While there are limited exceptions, this change impacts employers that rely on such agreements to recoup investments for onboarding in special- ized, high-turnover fields. Employer actions: Revise or eliminate any provisions that could be construed as employment promissory notes. Service contract workers The law, effective July 1, 2027, creates broad worker retention requirements for entities that take over certain service contracts at "covered locations," such as large residential, office, shopping, hotel and warehouse buildings. A successor employer now must retain the outgoing contractor's workers for 90 days. After that, workers whose performance is "satisfactory" must receive a written employment offer. While the law provides employers with several exceptions — including allowing them to consider a worker's prior performance and attendance record or determine that fewer workers are needed — the penalties for noncompliance are significant. An improper discharge or failure to retain a worker can result in fines of up to $1,000 per employee per day. Construction contractor changes General contractors, as of Jan. 1, 2027, will be liable for any unpaid wages owed to a subcontractor's employees for labor performed within the scope of construction contracts, allowing workers to pursue back wages from either the general contractor, subcontractor or both. Such liability remains even when a general contractor has fully paid their subcontractor and has no knowledge of any wage theft. This represents a significant liability shift for general contractors who should now monitor subcontractors' wage and hour compliance on an ongoing basis. For public works construction sites, as of Oct. 1, 2026, employers must now maintain detailed daily sign-in logs to be submitted weekly to the contracted entity, and such documents are designated as public records. Breastfeeding in the workplace The law, starting Oct. 1, 2026, strengthens protections by requiring employers to provide reasonable break times for an employee to express breast milk or breastfeed at the workplace, in addition to those currently allowed during employee's scheduled breaks. Employer actions: Update work- place policies to provide additional break times for breastfeeding or expressing milk. ADA workplace notices Effective Oct. 1, 2026, employers must provide written notice of employees' rights to reasonable workplace accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The notice must be given to new hires at the start of employment, current employees within 120 days of Oct. 1, 2026, and any employee who notifies the employer of a disability within 10 days of that notification. Alternatively, an employer can comply by displaying a poster created by the Labor Commissioner. Employer actions: Companies should train managers and HR personnel on properly handling accommodation requests. Remember: an employee does not have to use the specific words "reasonable accommo- dation" to trigger ADA obligations. Cannabis minimum wage Finally, the law, as of Oct. 1, 2026, prohibits the Labor Commissioner from recognizing tips as part of the minimum fair wage for employees of cannabis establishments, dispensa- ries or producers. Lisa Zaccardelli is a partner and chair of the Labor and Employment Practice at law firm Hinckley Allen. Julianna Malogolowkin is a member of Hinckley Allen's Litigation Group. Lisa A. Zaccardelli Julianna Malogolowkin Home Sales Here's a list of recently sold luxury homes in Connecticut. Sale price Address Town Full/half baths Beds Square footage Days on the market Year built $3,775,000 10 Middle Beach Road W. Madison 7 6 6,074 152 1986 $3,400,000 98 Island Avenue Madison 5 4 4,505 74 2016 $3,000,000 23 Robkins Road Avon 10 5 13,490 416 1998 $2,600,000 59 Lord Davis Lane Avon 7 7 10,424 4 1999 $2,275,000 47 Sleepy Hollow Road Columbia 6 5 5,534 6 1972 $2,200,000 57 Pelham Street Milford 3 4 2,718 3 2014 $2,200,000 22 Park Drive Waterford 6 6 4,096 12 1888 $2,095,000 2 Rock Road Milford 3 4 2,688 3 1956 $2,025,000 25 Sky View Drive Avon 6 5 8,020 5 2010 $1,950,000 12 Webster Lane Columbia 4 3 3,415 2 2015 Data provided by Evan L. Berman of William Raveis Broder Team. Contact him at evan@brodergroup.com.