House Bill No. 6551 (HB6551 File No. 9) proposes amendments to Section 31-57f of the general statutes, expanding the scope of standard wages to include security services and introducing a requirement for certain service workers to receive paid leave. The bill defines "paid leave" as vacation, holiday, or personal leave, excluding leave provided by federal, state, or local law, and updates the effective date of these provisions to July 1, 2023. It sets penalties for noncompliance with the standard wage rate, ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 per offense, and requires the Labor Commissioner to be notified of any imposed penalties. The Labor Commissioner is also responsible for determining the standard rate of wages and benefits, including a new standard rate for paid leave, which is to be the greater of the provisions under the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act or the collective bargaining agreement covering the largest number of employees in Hartford County for each classification.

The bill mandates that employers contact the Labor Commissioner annually by September 1st to ascertain the standard wages and paid leave to be provided, with adjustments to be made by October 1st. Employers taking over contracts must retain predecessor employees for 90 days and cannot discharge them without just cause. Employers are also required to maintain and submit records of wages, hours, and paid leave, and to post a poster with relevant information. The Labor Commissioner is tasked with developing this poster and posting standard rates on their website. The bill allows for complaints regarding nonpayment of standard wages or failure to provide standard paid leave to be brought to the Labor Commissioner, exempts contracts under $49,999 per annum from these provisions, and sets the effective date as July 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 31-57f
LAB Joint Favorable: 31-57f
File No. 9: 31-57f