While Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the Connecticut General Assembly failed to enact a budget by an early June deadline, the governor signed several bills into law affecting various business sectors, including one extending whistleblower protections to peripheral parties that provide testimony in discrimination cases.
A revamped gender discrimination law extends the period for filing such claims from one year to two years, and protects those who testify or otherwise assist in a gender discrimination case.
The legislation also spells out defenses that an employer can use against a gender discrimination claim, including use of a pay system that is based on quantity or quality of production; or a system that is based on some factor other than gender such as training, experience or education.
It also allows judges in discrimination cases to award compensatory and punitive damages as well as back pay and ”“ if the suit is filed by the employee, rather than the state ”“ attorney”™s fees. Under current law, a judge could only award back pay and attorney”™s fees while fining the company $200 for each violation.
Separately, Rell signed into law a bill that helps smaller charities keep more of the money they raise by eliminating the requirement for an audit, while ensuring that they are still subject to state oversight. The bill also regulates to a greater degree charities that use paid solicitors.
The new law raises the threshold for the requirement that a charity”™s annual report be audited ”“ from $200,000 to $500,000 ”“ but requires all charitable organizations to register and file annual reports with the Department of Consumer Protection.Â
The law also changes the definition of “paid solicitor” to include a person who solicits contributions for “consideration” ”“ such as goods or services ”“ rather than compensation.
