State News – Page 95 – DoingItLocal

CT Labor Dept. Recovers Over $6.1 Million in Owed Wages

#HARTFORD, CT –(Press Release) Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced the state Department of Labor’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards recovered more than $6.1 million in unpaid wages for Connecticut workers during the fiscal year that ended June 30.

“The working women and men who are the backbone of our state should get paid for the jobs they do and receive the wages they rightfully earn,” Governor Malloy said. “The $6.1 million collected by the Labor Department’s investigation reflects the importance we place on protecting our state’s workforce, as well as law-abiding employers.”

“As our economy continues to grow, Connecticut’s expanding workforce must be able to trust that their talent and expertise are a priority and will be protected. This announcement demonstrates just how seriously we take that commitment,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. “Governor Malloy and I have long been vocal advocates of fair wages and safe workplace conditions – it’s how we build a stronger state for everyone. I applaud Commissioner Palmer and her team for their work.”

According to Connecticut Labor Commissioner Sharon M. Palmer, $6,136,111.56 was returned to workers during the past fiscal year. This included nearly $1.55 million recovered by wage enforcement staff responding to 2,337 complaints regarding owed wages that had not been paid. An additional $788,000 was provided to employees that did not receive required minimum wage or overtime, and more than $1.6 million was owed to workers paid the incorrect amount while working at public contract construction sites.

“With Labor Day approaching, it is especially important to realize the importance of ensuring that all of our laws – be it those pertaining to minimum wage, overtime, or child labor – are understood and followed,” Commissioner Palmer said. “The mission of our Wage and Workplace Standards Division is to meet the needs of Connecticut’s workforce and strengthen knowledge of the state’s labor laws. As a result, education and outreach to workers and employers is just as vital as our enforcement efforts.”

The Connecticut Department of Labor’s Wage and Workplace Standards Division also investigated 253 cases involving labor law violations, with inspectors citing employers in the following areas: personnel file violations, permitting night work of minors in manufacturing and mechanical businesses, the improper work hours of minors, hazardous employment of minors, and minors working in prohibited jobs, among other violations.

The following wages were recovered in fiscal year 2014-2015 by the Labor Department’s Wage and Workplace Standards Division:

Wage enforcement	$1,547,127.12 to 1,649 employees
Public contract compliance	$1,607,602.50 to 514 employees
Wage and Hour	$788,472.70 to 1,649 employees
Service contract compliance	$243,289.28 to 35 employees
Total wages recovered	$6,136,111.56

The division also issued 164 stop work orders to employers that did not comply with Connecticut wage laws and worker’s compensation requirements. Following on-site investigations, companies cited were required to cease work on that specific construction project until required workplace regulations were met. In some cases, it was determined that employers misrepresented employees as independent contractors – a practice causing economic disadvantages to other companies.

According to Gary K. Pechie, Director of the agency’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards, wages were recovered in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes Title 31, Chapter 557, Part III, and Chapter 558. He also noted that the division’s website, www.ct.gov/dol (located under “Wage Law and Workplace Safety”) offers an extensive amount of information geared toward educating employers and workers about their rights and responsibilities in regard to state and federal wage laws.

Governor Signs Bill To Help Student Loan Debt

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today joined groups of advocates and state officials at a bill signing ceremony to commemorate two new pieces of legislation that aim to tackle rising student loan debt and college affordability. The first – Public Act 15-200 – was introduced by Governor Malloy, allowing students to refinance their loans at substantially lower rates and delivering lower monthly payments. The second – Public Act 15-162 – gives the Connecticut Department of Banking more regulatory oversight over student loans to help ensure fairness in the process.

“We have one of the most educated workforces in America – and we need to keep it that way. As we deliver record high graduation rates in our high schools, we need to ensure that residents have access to affordable higher education. It’s central to growing our middle class. College should not – and cannot – be out of reach for Americans,” Governor Malloy said. “Student loans and the high student debt carried by the average American threatens to be the next major debt crisis in the United States. We are taking action to fight that trend.”

Connecticut Department of Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez said, “I thank Governor Malloy and the co-chairs of the legislature’s Banking Committee for their continued and strong investment in Connecticut students – an investment that will pay meaningful dividends in the lives of so many. Helping students keep their focus on learning is what this legislation is all about.”

“With the signing of this bill, managing the costs of attending college just got a bit easier. CHESLA now is able to offer students the ability to refinance their loans and just announced new loans at a record-low rate of 4.95 percent, made possible by last year’s combination of the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation with CHESLA. These two organizations share a mission of ensuring access to higher education, and as the foundation’s past board chair, I believed it made perfect sense to use the foundation’s available assets to benefit our Connecticut college students,” State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier said. “September is College Savings Month, a good time to recognize that the strength of Connecticut’s economy depends on a well-educated and financially literate workforce. As a state, we must do our part to pave the path for success of the next generation as they gear up to compete in a global economy.”

“I am so proud that Connecticut is leading the way for college affordability by becoming the first state in the nation to create a Student Loan Bill of Rights,” House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin, Southington) said. “Sixty-four percent of college graduates in our state have student loan debt, which is why it is so important that we continue to take measures to make college more affordable for students and their families.”

“This is truly groundbreaking legislation. The shackles of student debt prevent graduates from starting businesses, buying homes, even starting families. I am grateful to Governor Malloy for his support and proud that Connecticut is leading the nation-the first state to pass a Student Loan Bill of Rights,” State Representative Matt Lesser (D-Middletown), co-chair of the General Assembly’s Banking Committee, said.
Public Act 15-200 – An Act Concerning the Duties and Authority of the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority

Introduced by Governor Malloy, this new law will allow thousands of borrowers and holders of student debt around Connecticut, including those with loans from the Connecticut Higher Education Student Loan Authority (CHESLA) and other loans, to refinance their student loans at a significantly lower interest rate, effectively cutting their monthly payments and reducing the burden.

This expanded ability to refinance applies to:

Individuals who hold outstanding loans issued by CHESLA
Students attending higher education institutions in Connecticut or who currently reside in Connecticut
Parents who are paying loans on behalf of a student attending a higher education institution in Connecticut or who currently reside in Connecticut

This refinancing is made possible by allowing CHESLA to issue bonds each year with the proceeds of that sale going to the refinancing.

Public Act 15-162 – An Act Concerning a Student Loan Bill of Rights

This law will allow the Connecticut Department of Banking to exercise additional oversight and regulatory authority over every aspect of the student loan process by requiring the licensing of student loan servicers

Student loan servicers are intimately involved in the administrative actions surrounding student loans, including the repayment process. Oversight of businesses and individuals who provide these services to lenders will further protect Connecticut citizens from unfair lending and collection practices.

Lights and Sirens

If you hear sirens at noon time today it is to honor Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren H. Goforth, 47, was ambushed and killed Friday night after exiting the convenience store of a Houston Chevron gas station. This is a nationwide tribute according to Bridgeport Police Chief Gaudette. I will be at Bridgeport Police Headquarters to record the tribute.

BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS FROM THE WESTPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT

(Westport, CT) – With the Westport Public Schools beginning on August 27th 2015, the Westport Police Department has stepped up it enforcement efforts targeting traffic violators in school zones with a “Back to School” enforcement and education campaign, focusing on traffic safety in and around the school zones. Westport Officers will be targeting drivers who are using cell phones and speeding in school zones, as well as disregarding School Bus Signals in Westport.

“During this time of year the Westport Police Department focuses on protecting children from motorists who disregard the law, especially around school zones and bus stops where they congregate” said Captain Sam Arciola. “The long summer break has allowed drivers to forget that they will soon be sharing the roads with School Buses making frequent stops, as well as children who will be walking or riding bicycles to school. As a community we have a responsibility to make sure children’s travel to and from school is as safe as possible .” “We remind motorists to budget extra commuting time to compensate for school buses being on the road, and to remain vigilant in school zones and around school buses” said Chief Dale E. Call. “ A list of suggestions for drivers, students and parents are listed below:

 When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.

 When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.

 Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.

 Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.

 Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street with out looking for traffic.

 Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state. Learn the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:

 Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload

 Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red

lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Children

 Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.

 When the bus approaches, stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb, and line up away from the street. Continue reading BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS FROM THE WESTPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Governor’s Plans To End Veteran’s Homelessness

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy, joined by Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, veterans, veterans’ advocates and local, state and federal officials, today laid out several of his proposals aimed at combatting veterans’ homelessness and unemployment in Connecticut. The initiatives, which Governor Malloy introduced last week, focus specifically on working with public and private sector partners to end veterans’ homeless by 2015 by assisting veterans with employment and increasing residential opportunities for homeless veterans or those at risk of becoming homeless.

“We know that homelessness and unemployment are intrinsically linked and part of a terrible downward spiral that captures too many people, especially veterans,” said Governor Malloy. “President Obama set a realistic deadline to end veterans’ homelessness in the United States – a goal we are fully committed to and capable of achieving. By working together with our public and private sector partners and investing in giving Connecticut’s veterans access to steady employment and safe housing, we will move our state significantly closer toward ensuring that every veteran can get back on their feet, back under a roof, and back to work.”

In his State of the State address last Thursday, Governor Malloy outlined several legislative initiatives that re-affirm Connecticut’s commitment to ending veterans’ homelessness by 2015. The Governor’s proposals include:

Planning for the Future and Enhancing Residential Options for Veterans at Department of Veterans’ Affairs in Rocky Hill: This initiative will set aside $500,000 to support a review of existing state facilities to determine how they can be put to their best use for veterans, with a deadline of October 2014. An additional $1.4 million to match a federal grant that will finance code improvements at the campus’ facilities;
Veterans’ Employment Opportunity Pilot: $600,000 for grants to area housing agencies for employment specialists and job developers to actively seek opportunities for veterans to reenter the workforce;
Security Deposit Guarantees for Veterans: $50,000 to increase availability of security deposit assistance for homeless veterans;
Victory Gardens affordable housing development: $289,109 for supportive services for 74 units of housing dedicated to at-risk veterans and their families in Newington.

According to the most recent Point in Time count, there are an estimated 4,500 homeless people in Connecticut, of which approximately 11 percent are homeless veterans in temporary housing or living on the streets. In 2012, an estimated 1,000 veterans in Connecticut spent at least one night homeless.

“I strongly believe the state must do everything in its power to help these brave men and women have a roof over their head and access to employment opportunities,” said Lt. Governor Wyman. “It is our obligation to honor the sacrifice they made by supporting them and their families – and these proposals will do just that.”

In 2009, President Obama and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki announced a national goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015. President Obama asked partners and supporters nationwide to embrace this pledge in order to build on the progress the VA has made by increasing programs and funding to help veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Since the announcement, the number of homeless veterans in the U.S. has dropped by 17.2 percent. In fiscal 2013, VA will dedicate $1.4 billion to specialized homeless programs and $4.4 billion to health care for veterans who are homeless.

“For the last several months, the Connecticut Heroes Project has been engaged with the Governor’s Office in a discussion around our shared mission to end veteran homelessness,” said Greg Behrman, founder and director of the CT Heroes Project. “In his State of the State address, Governor Malloy announced a series of robust, smart, and targeted proposals to end veteran homelessness by 2015. These proposals are perfectly in line with the needs of veterans experiencing homelessness in our state today, and we are very excited to work with the Governor and the legislature to implement them in the coming months.”

Governor Malloy highlighted one initiative in his budget proposal, a Veterans’ Opportunity Pilot, which provides $600,000 for grants to area housing agencies to hire job placement specialists trained to understand the employment challenges and advantages unique to veterans. The specialists will work with veterans to actively seek opportunities for veterans to reenter the workforce. The pilot program will also designate a statewide coordinator from the Department of Labor (DOL) to manage the complex network of employment services for veterans. The Governor will also increase the availability of the state’s security deposit assistance program by adding funding to the program and prioritizing homeless veterans – a move that could help around 100 veterans get over the first hurdle of finding a home.

Missing Easton Couple Investigation Turns To Bridgeport

4:50pm–#Bridgeport CT–#Easton CT– State Police confirmed what my sources have told me, the state police major crimes truck is on Aldine Avenue. Sources tell me the house is owned by the couple and a brother was living in their in the past but has not been seen in a couple of weeks as well.

Jeffrey and Jeannette Navin were reported missing Aug. 7 to the Easton Police Department, and being investigated by the State Police Western District Crime Squad.
All our on scene calls start because of an Interstate Battery!

Congressman Himes Supports Iran Nuclear Deal

(Press Release) Since the international community agreed four weeks ago on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, I have spent many hours evaluating it and consulting with my constituents, technical experts, security officials and diplomats from around the world. As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I have reviewed classified intelligence and our capabilities for monitoring compliance with the JCPOA. After careful thought, I have decided to support the JCPOA.

There are no perfect answers or easy solutions in the Middle East – only choices with varying levels of risk associated with them. International agreements with one’s foes are as fraught with potential pitfalls as they are with opportunity. The Iranian regime has shown itself to be untrustworthy and destabilizing. It is today a nuclear threshold state. The JCPOA offers something that no other alternative offers: the strong possibility of at least a 15 year period in which there is little or no risk that we are surprised by the test of an Iranian nuclear weapon. That possibility is a considerable improvement over the status quo.

Critics of the JCPOA raise a number of fair objections that deserve careful consideration. I have met twice with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer to hear these objections at length. But the critics’ predictions for how Iran will behave in 15 years are no more substantiated than other predictions for what the Middle East may look like in the future. Despite weeks of consideration, I do not agree that walking away from our own painstakingly negotiated deal would lead to anything other than the crumbling of hard-won international unity, the lifting of sanctions, an uncertain Iranian response, and an increased probability of an imminently nuclear Iran.

Over the course of my public service I have watched with great sadness the hundreds of billions of dollars spent and the thousands of lives lost to achieve chaotic outcomes whenever we have forsaken diplomacy in the dangerous crescent from Libya to Iraq to Afghanistan. Though not without risk, the JCPOA offers the possibility of a different and better outcome for the United States, Israel, and the rest of the world.

Bridgeport News: Ganim Asks For State Police Help From Governor

#Bridgeport CT—Video Report: Today, mayoral hopeful Joe Ganim has written a letter asking Governor Dannel Malloy for help in providing state police officers to supplement city police officers following an increase in gun violence. Ganim is concerned that the city of Bridgeport Police’s staffing level is at a low while it will take another eighteen months to bring staffing levels back up to full force.

Connecticut’s Website of State Regulations

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill today announced that Connecticut’s website of state regulations has re-launched in an improved format that dramatically increases public accessibility and transparency in the state’s regulation process.

Located at eregulations.ct.gov, the website allows users to easily search the state’s regulations using common text searching or advanced Boolean searching, and also allows for search filtering to find information faster.

“Making all state regulations available online is a feature that should have been provided many, many years ago, and upon taking office I made the creation of this website a priority in order to improve efficiency and transparency in state government,” said Governor Malloy. “It is our hope that by creating this website, members of the public and employers doing business in our state will find it much easier to review existing regulations, learn about any new regulations that may be taking effect, and provide their own comments to the state whenever a proposed regulation is making its way through the approval process. Providing these services in an easily accessible format online is one of the ways that we will continue to make Connecticut a better place to live, work and do business.”

A new feature for proposed regulations provides users with real-time access to the approval process as new Continue reading Connecticut’s Website of State Regulations

President Orders Flags At Half Staff

President Obama declared today proclaimed that flags to be flown at half staff to honor the five servicemen killed five days ago on July 16, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The proclamation was announced after House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced the tribute Tuesday morning at the Capitol.

White House Proclamation:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Our thoughts and prayers as a Nation are with the service members killed last week in Chattanooga. We honor their service. We offer our gratitude to the police officers and first responders who stopped the rampage and saved lives. We draw strength from yet another American community that has come together with an unmistakable message to those who would try and do us harm: We do not give in to fear. You cannot divide us. And you will not change our way of life.

We ask God to watch over the fallen, the families, and their communities. As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on July 16, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, July 25, 2015. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth. BARACK OBAMA