Month: April 2020

#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 arise in the future.

“As the number of confirmed cases and fatalities related to COVID-19 continue to rise, frontline workers continue to keep desperately needed services in place – providing food, public transit, emergency services, healthcare, and ensuring construction projects move forward – despite the risks associated with exposure to the virus. Many of these workers lack the necessary personal protective equipment and other resources to keep themselves safe,” the senators wrote in a letter to DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia. “The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the immediate need for OSHA to issue such a standard to protect all those who are required to work during this public health emergency from exposure to the coronavirus.” 

The senators also called on OSHA to immediately issue an enforcement memo which would allow the agency to conduct on-site enforcement that ensures businesses are at the very least following current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance before the new ETS takes effect. They noted the precedent and framework provided by a similar enforcement memo issued in reaction to the H1N1 influenza in November 2009.

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#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 tragic period in our state’s history. I continue to urge every resident of Connecticut to stay home and practice social distancing as much as possible, because not only may your life depend on it, but it could also impact the lives of others.”

“My family and I are thinking of every person who has lost someone during this pandemic, especially as we begin to approach Easter, Passover, and Ramadan,” Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said. “It is truly heartbreaking to know that so many Connecticut communities will be in mourning during this holy season. Our prayers and sympathies are with them in this very difficult time.”

The Office of the Governor will send out a notification when flags should be returned to full-staff.

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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 any ten consecutive days within the 30 days immediately preceding the date
when the landlord would be entitled to issue notice to quit under section 47a-23 or (b) public
schools in the town where the rental premises is located, if ordinarily in session, were
closed for public health reasons during any ten consecutive days within the 30 days
immediately preceding the date when the landlord would be entitled to issue notice to quit
under section 47a-23, such termination shall be stayed until 30 days after the last day of the
declared public health emergency or public health-related school closure.

(2) If, during the 30-day stay, the tenant makes payment of at least half of the rent owed at
the time the landlord first became entitled to terminate the rental agreement or tenancy
pursuant to section 47a-15a, the termination of the rental agreement or tenancy shall be
stayed an additional 60 days for the tenant to pay all outstanding rent.
(3) If at the end of such 60-day period, the tenant has paid all outstanding rent, the landlord
shall not be entitled to terminate the rental agreement or tenancy as a result of the tenant’s
initial failure to pay.

(4) Whenever a landlord has terminated a rental agreement or tenancy due to unpaid rent
pursuant to section 47a-15a and has sought a judgment of eviction pursuant to section 47a-
42 prior to the declaration of a public health emergency or a public-health related school
closure of at least ten days in duration, and then such public health emergency or public
health-related school closure occurs prior to entry of a judgment or the execution of such
judgment, execution of the judgment shall be stayed until 30 days after the last day of such
public health emergency or public health-related school closure.

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#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 customer complaints, including contracts, correspondence, and billing records to determine whether Frontier’s actions have violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Should violations of law be identified, Frontier could be required to pay fines and comply with other injunctive relief to protect consumers.

“Since Frontier took over SNET, we have seen a steady onslaught of consumer complaints ranging from poor service quality and customer service to improper charges and excessive rates. Jointly with DCP, we are seeking comprehensive records from Frontier regarding their customer complaints to determine whether the company may have violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act,” said Attorney General Tong. “Frontier made promises to Connecticut that they had the ability to provide safe, adequate and reliable service, and they need to live up to that promise now.”

“It’s important that consumers and families get what they pay for – especially when it comes to utilities like internet access that are increasingly important in every day life,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “Like the Office of the Attorney General, we have had a steady stream of complaints about issues with Frontier, and I am pleased that we are taking this next step in our investigation. I want to thank the staff at DCP and the Office of the Attorney General who have put so many hours of hard work into this effort.”

“PURA supports the AG’s effort to protect consumers of telecommunications and video services in the state.  The AG’s investigation into certain consumer complaints arising from The Southern New England Telephone Company d/b/a Frontier Communications of Connecticut (”Frontier”)’s competitive services is critical to maintaining a level, consumer-friendly playing field.  PURA expects a cooperative investigation and encourages Frontier to resolve any consumer protection issues identified in an expedient manner,” said Marissa Paslick Gillett, Chairwoman of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

Assistant Attorneys General John Wright, Lauren Bidra and Mike Wertheimer, head of the Consumer Protection Department are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

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