Labor and Public Employees Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-422
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS COVID-19 ASSISTANCE
Title: PROGRAM.
Vote Date: 3/24/2022
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 3/15/2022
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
The Labor and Public Employees Committee
Rep. Anne M. Hughes, 135th Dist.,
Rep. Robyn A. Porter, 94th Dist.,
Rep. Joshua M. Hall, 7th Dist.
REASONS FOR BILL:
Many essential workers were required to take sick leave during the pandemic due to testing
positive for the virus or exposure to the virus. Many of those workers were forced to use all of
their paid sick leave and went without pay in order to keep their communities safe. This bill
would help those workers who were unable to work because of the pandemic by allowing
them to recover up to 80 hours of paid sick leave.
SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE:
The substitute language defiles the employees eligible, expands the reasons they can
receive the benefit, clarifies that the benefit is only available for uncompensated time off and
clarifies the employers do not have to provide the benefit.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; supports this bill stating the pandemic
affected essential workers harder than those who were able to transition to remote work.
They believe that it is incredibly important to take care of the essential workers who worked
throughout the pandemic.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
New Opportunities Inc., Regional Director, Brian Bonds; supports the bill because frontline
workers have been essential in fighting the spread of COVID and they deserve the
recognition. It was suggested that the bill include homeless response workers in the bill.
Essential workers faced many challenges and this bill would help essential workers.
CT Coalition to End Homelessness, Chief Operating Officer, Sarah Fox; supports this bill but
suggests homeless response workers added as a category of essential employee. It is stated
that frontline workers include homeless response workers since they were helping to protect
one of the most vulnerable populations. It is stated that the online application does not allow
for homeless response workers to apply.
Partnership for Strong Communities, Executive Director, Kiley Gosselin; supports this bill
strongly supports the inclusion of frontline homeless response workers.
Connecticut Womens Education and Legal Fund, Policy Director, Madeline Granato;
supports this bill stating that the majority of frontline workers are women and people of color.
It is stated that this bill would help support those who risked their life working through the
pandemic and is an opportunity to provide relief to the essential workers that worked
throughout the pandemic.
Connecticut AFL-CIO, President, Ed Hawthorne; supports this bill stating that the essential
workers who continued to work through all of the spikes and variants despite having
exhausted their sick leave. It is stated that essential workers had nothing to protect them and
their families from losing the paycheck if they missed work and would help essential workers
by giving them retroactive paid sick leave.
Connecticut Education Association, Legal Counsel, Melanie I. Kolek; supports this bill stating
that it would extend the window of eligibility for essential workers to qualify for pandemic pay.
It is stated that frontline essential workers deserve the support after they have supported us
throughout the pandemic.
Homes with Hope, President and CEO, Helen McAlinden; supports bill stating that their
frontline workers played an incredibly important role in helping the homeless. It is stated that
it would help support their frontline staff after they worked tirelessly and selflessly throughout
the entire pandemic.
The Open Hearth Association, President and CEO, Marilyn E. Rossetti; supports this bill with
the request that includes homeless response workers as essential workers. It is stated that
this is the time to recognize the homeless response workers for everything they have done
during the pandemic for the homeless population.
CSEA SEIU Local 2001, President, Travis Woodward; supports this bill stating that many of
the people who are essential workers contracted the virus or had to quarantine. It is
mentioned that workers who had to do this ran out of paid sick leave, and this bill would give
back to the workers who gave up their safety during the pandemic.
Service Employees International Union Connecticut State Council, Member, Stacey
Zimmerman; supports this bill.
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NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Insurance Association of Connecticut; oppose this bill because the bill requires employers to
hold the financial weight of COVID-19 related absences. This would increase costs to the
employers when they are already facing employee shortages and increased operating costs.
Connecticut Business & Industry Association, Vice President of Public Policy, Eric Gjede;
oppose this bill stating that the first 80 hours of paid leave is paid for by the employer and
does not offer a corresponding payroll tax credit to fund this. It is stated that this means that
businesses will cover the cost of the labor mandate at a time when they are least likely to be
able to afford it.
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, Senior Legislative Associate, Zachary McKeown;
opposes this bill stating it would place an unfunded mandate on the towns and cities and
business costs would be increased.
The Alliance, Senior Public Policy Advisor, Jeff Shaw; opposes this bill stating it would place
an unfair burden on Connecticuts nonprofits that are already underfunded. It is stated that
this legislation should include funding for this mandate for nonprofits.
Reported by: Date: 4/5/2022
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