15 | | - | Section 1. Section 31-2 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes |
---|
16 | | - | is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from |
---|
17 | | - | passage): |
---|
18 | | - | (a) The Labor Commissioner shall collect information upon the |
---|
19 | | - | subject of labor, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring individuals |
---|
20 | | - | and the means of promoting their material, social and intellectual |
---|
21 | | - | prosperity, and may summon and examine under oath such witnesses, |
---|
22 | | - | and may direct the production of, and examine or cause to be produced |
---|
23 | | - | and examined, such books, records, vouchers, memoranda, documents, |
---|
24 | | - | letters, contracts or other papers in relation thereto as he deems |
---|
25 | | - | necessary, and shall have the same powers in relation thereto as are |
---|
26 | | - | vested in magistrates in taking depositions, but for this purpose persons |
---|
27 | | - | shall not be required to leave the vicinity of their residences or places of |
---|
28 | | - | business. |
---|
29 | | - | (b) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the |
---|
30 | | - | provisions of chapter 54, for all programs within the jurisdiction of the House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 27 | + | Section 1. Section 31-2 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 1 |
---|
| 28 | + | is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2 |
---|
| 29 | + | passage): 3 |
---|
| 30 | + | (a) The Labor Commissioner shall collect information upon the 4 |
---|
| 31 | + | subject of labor, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring individuals 5 |
---|
| 32 | + | and the means of promoting their material, social and intellectual 6 |
---|
| 33 | + | prosperity, and may summon and examine under oath such witnesses, 7 |
---|
| 34 | + | and may direct the production of, and examine or cause to be produced 8 |
---|
| 35 | + | and examined, such books, records, vouchers, memoranda, documents, 9 |
---|
| 36 | + | letters, contracts or other papers in relation thereto as he deems 10 |
---|
| 37 | + | necessary, and shall have the same powers in relation thereto as are 11 |
---|
| 38 | + | vested in magistrates in taking depositions, but for this purpose persons 12 |
---|
| 39 | + | shall not be required to leave the vicinity of their residences or places of 13 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
34 | | - | Labor Department, including, but not limited to, employment and |
---|
35 | | - | training programs in the state. |
---|
36 | | - | (c) The commissioner may request the Attorney General to bring an |
---|
37 | | - | action in Superior Court for injunctive relief requiring compliance with |
---|
38 | | - | any statute, regulation, order or permit administered, adopted or issued |
---|
39 | | - | by the commissioner. |
---|
40 | | - | (d) The commissioner shall assist state agencies, boards and |
---|
41 | | - | commissions that issue occupational certificates or licenses in (1) |
---|
42 | | - | determining when to recognize and accept military training and |
---|
43 | | - | experience in lieu of all or part of the training and experience required |
---|
44 | | - | for a specific professional or occupational license, and (2) reviewing and |
---|
45 | | - | revising policies and procedures to ensure that relevant military |
---|
46 | | - | education, skills and training are given appropriate recognition in the |
---|
47 | | - | certification and licensing process. |
---|
48 | | - | (e) The commissioner may enter into contractual agreements, as may |
---|
49 | | - | be necessary, for all programs, activities, services and grants within the |
---|
50 | | - | jurisdiction of the Labor Department, including, but not limited to, |
---|
51 | | - | employment and training programs in the state and the application for |
---|
52 | | - | and use, administration or repayments of any federal funds made |
---|
53 | | - | available or allotted under any federal law. |
---|
54 | | - | (f) (1) The powers and duties enumerated in this section shall be in |
---|
55 | | - | addition to any other powers and duties conferred to the Labor |
---|
56 | | - | Commissioner in any other provision of the general statutes. |
---|
57 | | - | (2) Nothing in this section shall limit any other powers or duties |
---|
58 | | - | conferred to the Labor Commissioner in any other provisions of the |
---|
59 | | - | general statutes. |
---|
60 | | - | Sec. 2. Subdivision (1) of subsection (j) of section 31-225a of the 2024 |
---|
61 | | - | supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is |
---|
62 | | - | substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 42 | + | LCO 1119 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05267- |
---|
| 43 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
---|
| 44 | + | 2 of 9 |
---|
64 | | - | Public Act No. 24-147 3 of 10 |
---|
| 46 | + | business. 14 |
---|
| 47 | + | (b) The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the 15 |
---|
| 48 | + | provisions of chapter 54, for all programs within the jurisdiction of the 16 |
---|
| 49 | + | Labor Department, including, but not limited to, employment and 17 |
---|
| 50 | + | training programs in the state. 18 |
---|
| 51 | + | (c) The commissioner may request the Attorney General to bring an 19 |
---|
| 52 | + | action in Superior Court for injunctive relief requiring compliance with 20 |
---|
| 53 | + | any statute, regulation, order or permit administered, adopted or issued 21 |
---|
| 54 | + | by the commissioner. 22 |
---|
| 55 | + | (d) The commissioner shall assist state agencies, boards and 23 |
---|
| 56 | + | commissions that issue occupational certificates or licenses in (1) 24 |
---|
| 57 | + | determining when to recognize and accept military training and 25 |
---|
| 58 | + | experience in lieu of all or part of the training and experience required 26 |
---|
| 59 | + | for a specific professional or occupational license, and (2) reviewing and 27 |
---|
| 60 | + | revising policies and procedures to ensure that relevant military 28 |
---|
| 61 | + | education, skills and training are given appropriate recognition in the 29 |
---|
| 62 | + | certification and licensing process. 30 |
---|
| 63 | + | (e) The commissioner may enter into contractual agreements, as may 31 |
---|
| 64 | + | be necessary, for all programs, activities, services and grants within the 32 |
---|
| 65 | + | jurisdiction of the Labor Department, including, but not limited to, 33 |
---|
| 66 | + | employment and training programs in the state and the application for 34 |
---|
| 67 | + | and use, administration or repayments of any federal funds made 35 |
---|
| 68 | + | available or allotted under any federal law. 36 |
---|
| 69 | + | (f) (1) The powers and duties enumerated in this section shall be in 37 |
---|
| 70 | + | addition to any other powers and duties conferred to the Labor 38 |
---|
| 71 | + | Commissioner in any other provision of the general statutes. 39 |
---|
| 72 | + | (2) Nothing in this section shall limit any other powers or duties 40 |
---|
| 73 | + | conferred to the Labor Commissioner in any other provisions of the 41 |
---|
| 74 | + | general statutes. 42 |
---|
| 75 | + | Sec. 2. Subdivision (1) of subsection (j) of section 31-225a of the 2024 43 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
66 | | - | (j) (1) (A) Each employer subject to this chapter shall submit |
---|
67 | | - | quarterly, on forms supplied by the administrator, a listing of wage |
---|
68 | | - | information, including the name of each employee receiving wages in |
---|
69 | | - | employment subject to this chapter, such employee's Social Security |
---|
70 | | - | account number and the amount of wages paid to such employee during |
---|
71 | | - | such calendar quarter. |
---|
72 | | - | (B) Commencing with the third calendar quarter of 2026, any |
---|
73 | | - | employer subject to this chapter may include in the quarterly filing |
---|
74 | | - | submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, the |
---|
75 | | - | following data for each employee receiving wages in employment |
---|
76 | | - | subject to this chapter: (i) Such employee's occupation, (ii) such |
---|
77 | | - | employee's hours worked, and (iii) the [business mailing address zip |
---|
78 | | - | code of the employer of such employee] zip code of such employee's |
---|
79 | | - | primary worksite. |
---|
80 | | - | Sec. 3. Section 31-402 of the general statutes is repealed and the |
---|
81 | | - | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): |
---|
82 | | - | There is hereby established an Occupational Health Clinics Advisory |
---|
83 | | - | Committee. [Said committee shall report to the Governor and the |
---|
84 | | - | General Assembly no later than September 15, 1990, and annually |
---|
85 | | - | thereafter, their recommendations as to: (1) Methods for the |
---|
86 | | - | coordination of activities among occupational health clinics, auxiliary |
---|
87 | | - | occupational health clinics, the state and any other entities; (2) methods |
---|
88 | | - | and the nature of disclosure of research and data collection results and |
---|
89 | | - | related educational information; (3) the appropriate methods of |
---|
90 | | - | funding, including sources of funding for, occupational health clinics |
---|
91 | | - | and related state activities, particularly regarding surveillance, and (4) |
---|
92 | | - | delineation of new goals in occupational disease detection and |
---|
93 | | - | prevention.] The advisory committee shall consist of fifteen persons as |
---|
94 | | - | follows: The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing |
---|
95 | | - | committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters |
---|
96 | | - | concerning occupational health and safety or their designees, two House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
100 | | - | persons appointed by the Governor, one person appointed by the |
---|
101 | | - | chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission, one person |
---|
102 | | - | appointed by the Labor Commissioner, one person appointed by the |
---|
103 | | - | Commissioner of Public Health, one person appointed by the president |
---|
104 | | - | pro tempore of the Senate to represent the insurance industry, one |
---|
105 | | - | person appointed by the majority leader of the Senate to represent the |
---|
106 | | - | business community, one person appointed by the minority leader of |
---|
107 | | - | the Senate to represent the labor community, one person appointed by |
---|
108 | | - | the speaker of the House of Representatives to represent the medical |
---|
109 | | - | community, one person appointed by the majority leader of the House |
---|
110 | | - | of Representatives to represent the labor community and one person |
---|
111 | | - | appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives to |
---|
112 | | - | represent the business community. |
---|
113 | | - | Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 31-76a of the 2024 supplement to the |
---|
114 | | - | general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu |
---|
115 | | - | thereof (Effective from passage): |
---|
116 | | - | (c) (1) If the commissioner determines, after an investigation |
---|
117 | | - | pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, that an employer is in violation |
---|
118 | | - | of (A) subsection (g) of section 31-288, or (B) subsection (b) of section 31- |
---|
119 | | - | 53, the commissioner shall issue, not later than seventy-two hours after |
---|
120 | | - | making such determination, a stop work order against the employer |
---|
121 | | - | requiring the cessation of all business operations of such employer. Such |
---|
122 | | - | stop work order shall be issued only against the employer found to be |
---|
123 | | - | in violation of subsection (g) of section 31-288 or in violation of |
---|
124 | | - | subsection (b) of section 31-53 and only as to the specific place of |
---|
125 | | - | business or employment for which the violation exists. Such order shall |
---|
126 | | - | be effective when served upon the employer or at the place of business |
---|
127 | | - | or employment. A stop work order may be served at a place of business |
---|
128 | | - | or employment by posting a copy of the stop work order in a |
---|
129 | | - | conspicuous location at the place of business or employment. Such order |
---|
130 | | - | shall remain in effect until the commissioner issues an order releasing House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 82 | + | supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 44 |
---|
| 83 | + | substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 45 |
---|
| 84 | + | (j) (1) (A) Each employer subject to this chapter shall submit 46 |
---|
| 85 | + | quarterly, on forms supplied by the administrator, a listing of wage 47 |
---|
| 86 | + | information, including the name of each employee receiving wages in 48 |
---|
| 87 | + | employment subject to this chapter, such employee's Social Security 49 |
---|
| 88 | + | account number and the amount of wages paid to such employee during 50 |
---|
| 89 | + | such calendar quarter. 51 |
---|
| 90 | + | (B) Commencing with the third calendar quarter of 2026, any 52 |
---|
| 91 | + | employer subject to this chapter may include in the quarterly filing 53 |
---|
| 92 | + | submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, the 54 |
---|
| 93 | + | following data for each employee receiving wages in employment 55 |
---|
| 94 | + | subject to this chapter: (i) Such employee's occupation, (ii) such 56 |
---|
| 95 | + | employee's hours worked, and (iii) the [business mailing address zip 57 |
---|
| 96 | + | code of the employer of such employee] zip code of such employee's 58 |
---|
| 97 | + | primary worksite. 59 |
---|
| 98 | + | Sec. 3. Section 31-402 of the general statutes is repealed and the 60 |
---|
| 99 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 61 |
---|
| 100 | + | There is hereby established an Occupational Health Clinics Advisory 62 |
---|
| 101 | + | Committee. [Said committee shall report to the Governor and the 63 |
---|
| 102 | + | General Assembly no later than September 15, 1990, and annually 64 |
---|
| 103 | + | thereafter, their recommendations as to: (1) Methods for the 65 |
---|
| 104 | + | coordination of activities among occupational health clinics, auxiliary 66 |
---|
| 105 | + | occupational health clinics, the state and any other entities; (2) methods 67 |
---|
| 106 | + | and the nature of disclosure of research and data collection results and 68 |
---|
| 107 | + | related educational information; (3) the appropriate methods of 69 |
---|
| 108 | + | funding, including sources of funding for, occupational health clinics 70 |
---|
| 109 | + | and related state activities, particularly regarding surveillance, and (4) 71 |
---|
| 110 | + | delineation of new goals in occupational disease detection and 72 |
---|
| 111 | + | prevention.] The advisory committee shall consist of fifteen persons as 73 |
---|
| 112 | + | follows: The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 74 |
---|
| 113 | + | committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 75 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
134 | | - | the stop work order upon a finding by the commissioner that the |
---|
135 | | - | employer has come into compliance with the requirements of subsection |
---|
136 | | - | (b) of section 31-284 or subsection (b) of section 31-53, or after a hearing |
---|
137 | | - | held pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. |
---|
138 | | - | (2) Any employer against which a stop work order is issued pursuant |
---|
139 | | - | to subdivision (1) of this subsection may request a hearing before the |
---|
140 | | - | commissioner. Such request shall be made in writing to the |
---|
141 | | - | commissioner not more than ten days after the issuance of such order. |
---|
142 | | - | Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of |
---|
143 | | - | chapter 54. |
---|
144 | | - | (3) Stop work orders and any penalties imposed under section 31-288 |
---|
145 | | - | or 31-69a against a corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship for a |
---|
146 | | - | violation of subsection (g) of section 31-288 or for a violation of |
---|
147 | | - | subsection (b) of section 31-53 shall be effective against any successor |
---|
148 | | - | entity that has one or more of the same principals or officers as the |
---|
149 | | - | corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship against which the stop |
---|
150 | | - | work order was issued and are engaged in the same or equivalent trade |
---|
151 | | - | or activity. |
---|
152 | | - | [(4) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the |
---|
153 | | - | provisions of chapter 54, necessary to carry out this subsection.] |
---|
154 | | - | Sec. 5. Section 31-223b of the general statutes is repealed and the |
---|
155 | | - | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): |
---|
156 | | - | (a) For purposes of this section: |
---|
157 | | - | (1) "Knowingly" means having actual knowledge of or acting with |
---|
158 | | - | deliberate ignorance of or reckless disregard for a prohibition or |
---|
159 | | - | requirement under this section; |
---|
160 | | - | (2) "Person" means an individual, corporation, limited liability |
---|
161 | | - | company, company, trust, estate, partnership or association; House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 116 | + | LCO 1119 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05267- |
---|
| 117 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
---|
| 118 | + | 4 of 9 |
---|
163 | | - | Public Act No. 24-147 6 of 10 |
---|
| 120 | + | concerning occupational health and safety or their designees, two 76 |
---|
| 121 | + | persons appointed by the Governor, one person appointed by the 77 |
---|
| 122 | + | chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission, one person 78 |
---|
| 123 | + | appointed by the Labor Commissioner, one person appointed by the 79 |
---|
| 124 | + | Commissioner of Public Health, one person appointed by the president 80 |
---|
| 125 | + | pro tempore of the Senate to represent the insurance industry, one 81 |
---|
| 126 | + | person appointed by the majority leader of the Senate to represent the 82 |
---|
| 127 | + | business community, one person appointed by the minority leader of 83 |
---|
| 128 | + | the Senate to represent the labor community, one person appointed by 84 |
---|
| 129 | + | the speaker of the House of Representatives to represent the medical 85 |
---|
| 130 | + | community, one person appointed by the majority leader of the House 86 |
---|
| 131 | + | of Representatives to represent the labor community and one person 87 |
---|
| 132 | + | appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives to 88 |
---|
| 133 | + | represent the business community. 89 |
---|
| 134 | + | Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 31-76a of the 2024 supplement to the 90 |
---|
| 135 | + | general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 91 |
---|
| 136 | + | thereof (Effective from passage): 92 |
---|
| 137 | + | (c) (1) If the commissioner determines, after an investigation 93 |
---|
| 138 | + | pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, that an employer is in violation 94 |
---|
| 139 | + | of (A) subsection (g) of section 31-288, or (B) subsection (b) of section 31-95 |
---|
| 140 | + | 53, the commissioner shall issue, not later than seventy-two hours after 96 |
---|
| 141 | + | making such determination, a stop work order against the employer 97 |
---|
| 142 | + | requiring the cessation of all business operations of such employer. Such 98 |
---|
| 143 | + | stop work order shall be issued only against the employer found to be 99 |
---|
| 144 | + | in violation of subsection (g) of section 31-288 or in violation of 100 |
---|
| 145 | + | subsection (b) of section 31-53 and only as to the specific place of 101 |
---|
| 146 | + | business or employment for which the violation exists. Such order shall 102 |
---|
| 147 | + | be effective when served upon the employer or at the place of business 103 |
---|
| 148 | + | or employment. A stop work order may be served at a place of business 104 |
---|
| 149 | + | or employment by posting a copy of the stop work order in a 105 |
---|
| 150 | + | conspicuous location at the place of business or employment. Such order 106 |
---|
| 151 | + | shall remain in effect until the commissioner issues an order releasing 107 |
---|
| 152 | + | the stop work order upon a finding by the commissioner that the 108 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
165 | | - | (3) "Trade or business" includes an employer's employees; and |
---|
166 | | - | (4) "Violates or attempts to violate" includes, but is not limited to, the |
---|
167 | | - | evasion of or attempt to evade any provision of this section, or any |
---|
168 | | - | misrepresentation or wilful nondisclosure of information required to be |
---|
169 | | - | given under this section. |
---|
170 | | - | (b) No person who acquires the assets, organization, trade or business |
---|
171 | | - | of an employer solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower |
---|
172 | | - | contribution rate to the Unemployment Compensation Fund shall |
---|
173 | | - | acquire the unemployment experience of such employer, and such |
---|
174 | | - | acquisition shall be deemed a violation under this subsection. If the |
---|
175 | | - | administrator determines that a person has acquired such assets solely |
---|
176 | | - | or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower contribution rate, the |
---|
177 | | - | administrator shall require such person to pay contributions at the rate |
---|
178 | | - | provided in subsection (d) of section 31-225a for an employer who has |
---|
179 | | - | not been chargeable with benefits for a sufficient period of time to have |
---|
180 | | - | such employer's rate otherwise computed under section 31-225a or, |
---|
181 | | - | where applicable, the person's charged tax rate, as provided in |
---|
182 | | - | subsection (e) of section 31-225a, whichever is greater. In determining |
---|
183 | | - | whether the assets, organization, trade or business of an employer was |
---|
184 | | - | acquired solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower |
---|
185 | | - | contribution rate, the factors the administrator shall consider shall |
---|
186 | | - | include, but not be limited to, the cost of acquiring the business, whether |
---|
187 | | - | the person continued the business activity of the acquired business, how |
---|
188 | | - | long the business was continued and whether a substantial number of |
---|
189 | | - | new employees were hired for performance of duties unrelated to the |
---|
190 | | - | business activity conducted by the business prior to its acquisition. |
---|
191 | | - | (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter relating to |
---|
192 | | - | the transfer of unemployment experience, if an employer transfers its |
---|
193 | | - | assets, organization, trade or business, or a portion of its assets, |
---|
194 | | - | organization, trade or business, to another employer with whom, at the |
---|
195 | | - | time of such transfer, the transferring employer shares substantially House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
199 | | - | common ownership, management or control, the unemployment |
---|
200 | | - | experience of the transferring employer shall be transferred to the |
---|
201 | | - | receiving employer. The administrator shall recalculate the contribution |
---|
202 | | - | rates of both employers and make such recalculated rates effective upon |
---|
203 | | - | the date of the transfer. The administrator may require from any |
---|
204 | | - | employer, whether or not otherwise subject to this chapter, any sworn |
---|
205 | | - | or unsworn reports that are necessary for the effective administration of |
---|
206 | | - | this section. |
---|
207 | | - | (d) In addition to the penalty imposed pursuant to subsection (e) of |
---|
208 | | - | this section and any applicable penalties under this chapter, if a person |
---|
209 | | - | knowingly violates or attempts to violate any provision of subsection |
---|
210 | | - | (b) or (c) of this section, or any other provision of this chapter relating to |
---|
211 | | - | determining the assignment of a contribution rate, or knowingly advises |
---|
212 | | - | another person in the violation of subsection (b) or (c) of this section, |
---|
213 | | - | such person shall be subject to the following penalties: |
---|
214 | | - | (1) If the person is an employer, such person shall be assigned a |
---|
215 | | - | penalty rate of contributions of two per cent of taxable wages for the |
---|
216 | | - | year during which such violation or attempted violation occurred and |
---|
217 | | - | for the following three years. |
---|
218 | | - | (2) If the person is not an employer, such person shall be subject to a |
---|
219 | | - | civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars or more than five |
---|
220 | | - | thousand dollars. Any such penalty shall be deposited into the |
---|
221 | | - | Employment Security Special Administration Fund established under |
---|
222 | | - | subsection (d) of section 31-259. |
---|
223 | | - | (e) Any person who violates this section shall be fined not more than |
---|
224 | | - | two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. |
---|
225 | | - | [(f) The administrator shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the |
---|
226 | | - | provisions of chapter 54, to establish procedures and guidelines |
---|
227 | | - | necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 159 | + | employer has come into compliance with the requirements of subsection 109 |
---|
| 160 | + | (b) of section 31-284 or subsection (b) of section 31-53, or after a hearing 110 |
---|
| 161 | + | held pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. 111 |
---|
| 162 | + | (2) Any employer against which a stop work order is issued pursuant 112 |
---|
| 163 | + | to subdivision (1) of this subsection may request a hearing before the 113 |
---|
| 164 | + | commissioner. Such request shall be made in writing to the 114 |
---|
| 165 | + | commissioner not more than ten days after the issuance of such order. 115 |
---|
| 166 | + | Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of 116 |
---|
| 167 | + | chapter 54. 117 |
---|
| 168 | + | (3) Stop work orders and any penalties imposed under section 31-288 118 |
---|
| 169 | + | or 31-69a against a corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship for a 119 |
---|
| 170 | + | violation of subsection (g) of section 31-288 or for a violation of 120 |
---|
| 171 | + | subsection (b) of section 31-53 shall be effective against any successor 121 |
---|
| 172 | + | entity that has one or more of the same principals or officers as the 122 |
---|
| 173 | + | corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship against which the stop 123 |
---|
| 174 | + | work order was issued and are engaged in the same or equivalent trade 124 |
---|
| 175 | + | or activity. 125 |
---|
| 176 | + | [(4) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 126 |
---|
| 177 | + | provisions of chapter 54, necessary to carry out this subsection.] 127 |
---|
| 178 | + | Sec. 5. Section 31-223b of the general statutes is repealed and the 128 |
---|
| 179 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 129 |
---|
| 180 | + | (a) For purposes of this section: 130 |
---|
| 181 | + | (1) "Knowingly" means having actual knowledge of or acting with 131 |
---|
| 182 | + | deliberate ignorance of or reckless disregard for a prohibition or 132 |
---|
| 183 | + | requirement under this section; 133 |
---|
| 184 | + | (2) "Person" means an individual, corporation, limited liability 134 |
---|
| 185 | + | company, company, trust, estate, partnership or association; 135 |
---|
| 186 | + | (3) "Trade or business" includes an employer's employees; and 136 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
231 | | - | procedures to identify the transfer or acquisition of a business for |
---|
232 | | - | purposes of this section.] |
---|
233 | | - | [(g)] (f) This section shall be interpreted and applied in such a manner |
---|
234 | | - | as to meet the minimum requirements of Public Law 108-295 as |
---|
235 | | - | interpreted by the federal Department of Labor. |
---|
236 | | - | [(h)] (g) This section shall apply to unemployment compensation tax |
---|
237 | | - | years beginning on and after January 1, 2006. |
---|
238 | | - | Sec. 6. Section 38a-513e of the general statutes is repealed and the |
---|
239 | | - | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): |
---|
240 | | - | (a) In the event (1) an employer, as defined in section 31-58, |
---|
241 | | - | terminates an employee for any reason other than layoff or relocation or |
---|
242 | | - | closing of a covered establishment, [as defined in section 31-51n,] or (2) |
---|
243 | | - | an employee voluntarily terminates employment with an employer, |
---|
244 | | - | such employer may elect not to pay the premium for such employee and |
---|
245 | | - | any such employee's dependents under a group health insurance policy |
---|
246 | | - | after the date of such employee's termination. In the event such |
---|
247 | | - | employer makes such election, any insurer, health care center, hospital |
---|
248 | | - | service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal benefit |
---|
249 | | - | society that issues such group health insurance policy shall credit such |
---|
250 | | - | employer the amount of any premium paid by such employer with |
---|
251 | | - | respect to such policy for such employee and such employee's |
---|
252 | | - | dependents attributable to the period after the date of such employee's |
---|
253 | | - | termination, provided the employer notifies the insurer, health care |
---|
254 | | - | center, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or |
---|
255 | | - | fraternal benefit society that issued such policy and the terminated |
---|
256 | | - | employee not later than seventy-two hours after the termination. Upon |
---|
257 | | - | the issuance or renewal of such policy, such insurer, health care center, |
---|
258 | | - | hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal |
---|
259 | | - | benefit society shall provide such employer with relevant information |
---|
260 | | - | related to such employer's election, including a notice that it is the House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 189 | + | LCO 1119 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05267- |
---|
| 190 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
---|
| 191 | + | 6 of 9 |
---|
262 | | - | Public Act No. 24-147 9 of 10 |
---|
| 193 | + | (4) "Violates or attempts to violate" includes, but is not limited to, the 137 |
---|
| 194 | + | evasion of or attempt to evade any provision of this section, or any 138 |
---|
| 195 | + | misrepresentation or wilful nondisclosure of information required to be 139 |
---|
| 196 | + | given under this section. 140 |
---|
| 197 | + | (b) No person who acquires the assets, organization, trade or business 141 |
---|
| 198 | + | of an employer solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower 142 |
---|
| 199 | + | contribution rate to the Unemployment Compensation Fund shall 143 |
---|
| 200 | + | acquire the unemployment experience of such employer, and such 144 |
---|
| 201 | + | acquisition shall be deemed a violation under this subsection. If the 145 |
---|
| 202 | + | administrator determines that a person has acquired such assets solely 146 |
---|
| 203 | + | or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower contribution rate, the 147 |
---|
| 204 | + | administrator shall require such person to pay contributions at the rate 148 |
---|
| 205 | + | provided in subsection (d) of section 31-225a for an employer who has 149 |
---|
| 206 | + | not been chargeable with benefits for a sufficient period of time to have 150 |
---|
| 207 | + | such employer's rate otherwise computed under section 31-225a or, 151 |
---|
| 208 | + | where applicable, the person's charged tax rate, as provided in 152 |
---|
| 209 | + | subsection (e) of section 31-225a, whichever is greater. In determining 153 |
---|
| 210 | + | whether the assets, organization, trade or business of an employer was 154 |
---|
| 211 | + | acquired solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower 155 |
---|
| 212 | + | contribution rate, the factors the administrator shall consider shall 156 |
---|
| 213 | + | include, but not be limited to, the cost of acquiring the business, whether 157 |
---|
| 214 | + | the person continued the business activity of the acquired business, how 158 |
---|
| 215 | + | long the business was continued and whether a substantial number of 159 |
---|
| 216 | + | new employees were hired for performance of duties unrelated to the 160 |
---|
| 217 | + | business activity conducted by the business prior to its acquisition. 161 |
---|
| 218 | + | (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter relating to 162 |
---|
| 219 | + | the transfer of unemployment experience, if an employer transfers its 163 |
---|
| 220 | + | assets, organization, trade or business, or a portion of its assets, 164 |
---|
| 221 | + | organization, trade or business, to another employer with whom, at the 165 |
---|
| 222 | + | time of such transfer, the transferring employer shares substantially 166 |
---|
| 223 | + | common ownership, management or control, the unemployment 167 |
---|
| 224 | + | experience of the transferring employer shall be transferred to the 168 |
---|
| 225 | + | receiving employer. The administrator shall recalculate the contribution 169 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
264 | | - | employer's responsibility to remit to the terminated employee such |
---|
265 | | - | employee's portion of the credited premium. Any such credit shall be |
---|
266 | | - | applied to the employer's next month's premium. In the event of |
---|
267 | | - | nonrenewal of such policy, the insurer, health care center, hospital |
---|
268 | | - | service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal benefit |
---|
269 | | - | society shall refund such credit to the employer. As used in this section, |
---|
270 | | - | "covered establishment" means any industrial, commercial or business |
---|
271 | | - | facility which employs, or has employed at any time in the preceding |
---|
272 | | - | twelve-month period, one hundred or more persons. |
---|
273 | | - | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, |
---|
274 | | - | (1) any contractual agreement entered into through collective |
---|
275 | | - | bargaining that requires the employer to pay the premium for an |
---|
276 | | - | employee under a group health insurance policy after the date of such |
---|
277 | | - | employee's termination shall supersede the provisions of subsection (a) |
---|
278 | | - | of this section, and (2) no credit shall be available to an employer for any |
---|
279 | | - | employee's and employee's dependents' coverage for the seventy-two |
---|
280 | | - | hours immediately following the termination of such employee. |
---|
281 | | - | (c) Any right of an employee and his dependents to continuation of |
---|
282 | | - | coverage following the relocation or closing of a covered establishment |
---|
283 | | - | [, as set forth in section 31-51o,] shall not be affected by the provisions |
---|
284 | | - | of this section. |
---|
285 | | - | Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 31-69a of the 2024 supplement to the |
---|
286 | | - | general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu |
---|
287 | | - | thereof (Effective January 1, 2025): |
---|
288 | | - | (a) In addition to the penalties provided in this chapter and chapter |
---|
289 | | - | 568, any employer, officer, agent or other person who violates any |
---|
290 | | - | provision of this chapter, chapter 557 or subsection (g) of section 31-288 |
---|
291 | | - | shall be liable to the Labor Department for a civil penalty of three |
---|
292 | | - | hundred dollars for each violation of said chapters and for each |
---|
293 | | - | violation of subsection (g) of section 31-288, except that (1) any person House Bill No. 5267 |
---|
297 | | - | who violates (A) a stop work order issued pursuant to subsection (c) of |
---|
298 | | - | section 31-76a, as amended by this act, shall be liable to the Labor |
---|
299 | | - | Department for a civil penalty of five thousand dollars and each day of |
---|
300 | | - | such violation shall constitute a separate offense, and (B) any provision |
---|
301 | | - | of [section] sections 31-12 [, 31-13 or] to 31-14, inclusive, subsection (a) |
---|
302 | | - | of section 31-15 or section 31-18, 31-23 or 31-24 shall be liable to the |
---|
303 | | - | Labor Department for a civil penalty of six hundred dollars for each |
---|
304 | | - | violation of said sections, [and] (2) a violation of subsection (g) of section |
---|
305 | | - | 31-288 shall constitute a separate offense for each day of such violation, |
---|
306 | | - | and (3) any employer that violates the provisions of sections 31-57s to |
---|
307 | | - | 31-57u, inclusive, or section 31-57w shall be liable to the Labor |
---|
308 | | - | Department in accordance with the provisions of sections 31-57v and |
---|
309 | | - | 31-57w. |
---|
310 | | - | Sec. 8. Sections 31-51n, 31-51o and 31-76l of the general statutes are |
---|
311 | | - | repealed. (Effective from passage) |
---|
| 232 | + | rates of both employers and make such recalculated rates effective upon 170 |
---|
| 233 | + | the date of the transfer. The administrator may require from any 171 |
---|
| 234 | + | employer, whether or not otherwise subject to this chapter, any sworn 172 |
---|
| 235 | + | or unsworn reports that are necessary for the effective administration of 173 |
---|
| 236 | + | this section. 174 |
---|
| 237 | + | (d) In addition to the penalty imposed pursuant to subsection (e) of 175 |
---|
| 238 | + | this section and any applicable penalties under this chapter, if a person 176 |
---|
| 239 | + | knowingly violates or attempts to violate any provision of subsection 177 |
---|
| 240 | + | (b) or (c) of this section, or any other provision of this chapter relating to 178 |
---|
| 241 | + | determining the assignment of a contribution rate, or knowingly advises 179 |
---|
| 242 | + | another person in the violation of subsection (b) or (c) of this section, 180 |
---|
| 243 | + | such person shall be subject to the following penalties: 181 |
---|
| 244 | + | (1) If the person is an employer, such person shall be assigned a 182 |
---|
| 245 | + | penalty rate of contributions of two per cent of taxable wages for the 183 |
---|
| 246 | + | year during which such violation or attempted violation occurred and 184 |
---|
| 247 | + | for the following three years. 185 |
---|
| 248 | + | (2) If the person is not an employer, such person shall be subject to a 186 |
---|
| 249 | + | civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars or more than five 187 |
---|
| 250 | + | thousand dollars. Any such penalty shall be deposited into the 188 |
---|
| 251 | + | Employment Security Special Administration Fund established under 189 |
---|
| 252 | + | subsection (d) of section 31-259. 190 |
---|
| 253 | + | (e) Any person who violates this section shall be fined not more than 191 |
---|
| 254 | + | two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. 192 |
---|
| 255 | + | [(f) The administrator shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 193 |
---|
| 256 | + | provisions of chapter 54, to establish procedures and guidelines 194 |
---|
| 257 | + | necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including 195 |
---|
| 258 | + | procedures to identify the transfer or acquisition of a business for 196 |
---|
| 259 | + | purposes of this section.] 197 |
---|
| 260 | + | [(g)] (f) This section shall be interpreted and applied in such a manner 198 |
---|
| 261 | + | as to meet the minimum requirements of Public Law 108-295 as 199 |
---|
| 262 | + | interpreted by the federal Department of Labor. 200 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 263 | + | |
---|
| 264 | + | |
---|
| 265 | + | LCO 1119 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05267- |
---|
| 266 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
---|
| 267 | + | 8 of 9 |
---|
| 268 | + | |
---|
| 269 | + | [(h)] (g) This section shall apply to unemployment compensation tax 201 |
---|
| 270 | + | years beginning on and after January 1, 2006. 202 |
---|
| 271 | + | Sec. 6. Section 38a-513e of the general statutes is repealed and the 203 |
---|
| 272 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 204 |
---|
| 273 | + | (a) In the event (1) an employer, as defined in section 31-58, 205 |
---|
| 274 | + | terminates an employee for any reason other than layoff or relocation or 206 |
---|
| 275 | + | closing of a covered establishment, [as defined in section 31-51n,] or (2) 207 |
---|
| 276 | + | an employee voluntarily terminates employment with an employer, 208 |
---|
| 277 | + | such employer may elect not to pay the premium for such employee and 209 |
---|
| 278 | + | any such employee's dependents under a group health insurance policy 210 |
---|
| 279 | + | after the date of such employee's termination. In the event such 211 |
---|
| 280 | + | employer makes such election, any insurer, health care center, hospital 212 |
---|
| 281 | + | service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal benefit 213 |
---|
| 282 | + | society that issues such group health insurance policy shall credit such 214 |
---|
| 283 | + | employer the amount of any premium paid by such employer with 215 |
---|
| 284 | + | respect to such policy for such employee and such employee's 216 |
---|
| 285 | + | dependents attributable to the period after the date of such employee's 217 |
---|
| 286 | + | termination, provided the employer notifies the insurer, health care 218 |
---|
| 287 | + | center, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or 219 |
---|
| 288 | + | fraternal benefit society that issued such policy and the terminated 220 |
---|
| 289 | + | employee not later than seventy-two hours after the termination. Upon 221 |
---|
| 290 | + | the issuance or renewal of such policy, such insurer, health care center, 222 |
---|
| 291 | + | hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal 223 |
---|
| 292 | + | benefit society shall provide such employer with relevant information 224 |
---|
| 293 | + | related to such employer's election, including a notice that it is the 225 |
---|
| 294 | + | employer's responsibility to remit to the terminated employee such 226 |
---|
| 295 | + | employee's portion of the credited premium. Any such credit shall be 227 |
---|
| 296 | + | applied to the employer's next month's premium. In the event of 228 |
---|
| 297 | + | nonrenewal of such policy, the insurer, health care center, hospital 229 |
---|
| 298 | + | service corporation, medical service corporation or fraternal benefit 230 |
---|
| 299 | + | society shall refund such credit to the employer. As used in this section, 231 |
---|
| 300 | + | "covered establishment" means any industrial, commercial or business 232 |
---|
| 301 | + | facility which employs, or has employed at any time in the preceding 233 Bill No. 5267 |
---|
| 302 | + | |
---|
| 303 | + | |
---|
| 304 | + | LCO 1119 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2024HB-05267- |
---|
| 305 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
---|
| 306 | + | 9 of 9 |
---|
| 307 | + | |
---|
| 308 | + | twelve-month period, one hundred or more persons. 234 |
---|
| 309 | + | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, 235 |
---|
| 310 | + | (1) any contractual agreement entered into through collective 236 |
---|
| 311 | + | bargaining that requires the employer to pay the premium for an 237 |
---|
| 312 | + | employee under a group health insurance policy after the date of such 238 |
---|
| 313 | + | employee's termination shall supersede the provisions of subsection (a) 239 |
---|
| 314 | + | of this section, and (2) no credit shall be available to an employer for any 240 |
---|
| 315 | + | employee's and employee's dependents' coverage for the seventy-two 241 |
---|
| 316 | + | hours immediately following the termination of such employee. 242 |
---|
| 317 | + | (c) Any right of an employee and his dependents to continuation of 243 |
---|
| 318 | + | coverage following the relocation or closing of a covered establishment 244 |
---|
| 319 | + | [, as set forth in section 31-51o,] shall not be affected by the provisions 245 |
---|
| 320 | + | of this section. 246 |
---|
| 321 | + | Sec. 7. Sections 31-51n, 31-51o and 31-76l of the general statutes are 247 |
---|
| 322 | + | repealed. (Effective from passage) 248 |
---|
| 323 | + | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following |
---|
| 324 | + | sections: |
---|
| 325 | + | |
---|
| 326 | + | Section 1 from passage 31-2 |
---|
| 327 | + | Sec. 2 from passage 31-225a(j)(1) |
---|
| 328 | + | Sec. 3 from passage 31-402 |
---|
| 329 | + | Sec. 4 from passage 31-76a(c) |
---|
| 330 | + | Sec. 5 from passage 31-223b |
---|
| 331 | + | Sec. 6 from passage 38a-513e |
---|
| 332 | + | Sec. 7 from passage Repealer section |
---|
| 333 | + | |
---|
| 334 | + | LAB Joint Favorable |
---|