Month: April 2020

Worker Protections During Covid

#WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) called on the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to utilize its emergency enforcement mechanism to require employers to develop and implement comprehensive plans to keep all essential workers who continue to perform their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic safe. The lawmakers asked OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which would provide employers with a consistent roadmap of standards to follow to ensure all employees who continue to come into work across the country are protected, and eventually develop a permanent standard should another such emergency…

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Flags At Half Staff

#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and State of Connecticut flags to be lowered to half-staff statewide effective immediately in recognition and mourning of all those who have lost their lives and been affected by COVID-19. The flags will remain lowered throughout the emergency. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags – including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise – should also be lowered during this same duration of time.   “This global pandemic is impacting the lives of so many families, friends, and loved ones in Connecticut, and we mourn for those who have been impacted,” Governor Lamont said. “This is an incredibly trying time and a…

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CT City Mayors Submit Letter in Support of Eviction Legislation

Mayors from cities across Connecticut will submit a letter in support of state legislation to protect tenants from eviction until 30 days after the end of a declared state of emergency, such as the current COVID-19 public health crisis. Please find the letter, the proposed bill language: (Note, this is not law yet)   Proposed Sec. 47a-15b. Nonpayment of rent by tenant: Landlord’s remedy during declared public health emergency or public health-related school closure. (1) Whenever a landlord would be entitled to terminate a rental agreement or tenancy due to unpaid rent pursuant to section 47a-15a, and (a) a public health emergency was declared, pursuant to section 19a-131a, for the town or region where the rental premises is located during…

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Stratford To Enforce Social Distancing

#Stratford CT – As the spread of COVID-19 continues to surge across the region and the state, Mayor Laura Hoydick is directing the Stratford Police Department to issue infractions to those who are warned to observe social distancing directives at Town recreational areas per Governor Ned Lamont’s Executive Orders that are aimed at reducing the spread of the Coronavirus.     The guideline in the Governor’s orders require residents to maintain a distance from one another of at least six feet apart, and to gather in groups no larger than 5 people at a time.  Recreational areas include Town parks, beaches, ponds, forests and other areas used for recreational purposes, including playgrounds, ballfields and docks, as well as the parking facilities adjacent…

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Frontier Communications Complaints

#Hartford, CT – Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull today announced an investigation into Frontier Communications following consumer complaints regarding excessive charges, poor service quality and unsatisfactory customer service that began after Frontier acquired Southern New England Telephone Company (SNET) in 2014. Since June 2015, the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Consumer Protection have jointly received over 1,000 consumer complaints regarding Frontier. Those include complaints involving charges for equipment already returned, poor voice, video and internet quality, unsatisfactory customer service, charges that exceeded promised rates, and charges that continued after services had been cancelled. The Office of the Attorney General and DCP have issued a civil investigative demand seeking comprehensive records regarding…

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Bridgeport’s RECOMMENDED Curfew

Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Ganim issues recommended curfew of 8:00pm for City of Bridgeport.  Mayor Ganim has sent the message to Stay Safe at Home in an effort to “double-down” and reinforce the Governor Lamont’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” order.   This is a recommended curfew to save lives. As seen on the State of Connecticut’s website, the Governor’s order is as follows: Notice Stay informed about coronavirus (COVID-19): Governor Lamont is telling Connecticut residents to "Stay Safe, Stay Home." All non-essential workers are directed to work from home, and social and recreational gatherings of more than five are prohibited. This morning and in the days ahead, city residents will receive an Emergency Operations Communications voice message generated via automation system to advise them of the…

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