A Note from our President, Lynn Ward
Dear Chamber Member,

As 2021 comes to a close, I want to thank each and every one of you for the support you have shown us during this difficult time. We are grateful to have you as a member and look forward to all that 2022 will bring.

On January 12 we will kick off the New Year with a job fair at the Courtyard by Marriott Waterbury Downtown. If you would like to have your company participate, we still have a few spaces remaining. Register now and get connected to hundreds of job seekers from the region.

We have secured our date for the 2022 Legislative Summit, which will take place on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Wyndham Southbury. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please reach out to Events Director Chris Caulfield. We have invited Governor Ned Lamont to this event, as well as area legislators. This is your opportunity to get your voice heard and be the first to learn about our highly-anticipated Legislative Agenda.

Nominations are now open for the 2022 Malcolm Baldrige Community Award. If you know of someone who you think should be considered for this award, please let us know by using this nomination form. The annual dinner will take place on March 9 at the Aqua Turf Club. You can also view our sponsorship opportunities here. January 28 is the deadline for inclusion of your company's logo on the invitation.

On January 11, we will have an informational session starting at 5:30 p.m. in our Chamber Board Room for individuals who want to learn more about our trip to the Amalfi Coast and Rome. The trip will take place October 4 through the 12. Space is limited, so if you are interested, please reach out to let us know. Additional details are below.

We have several other events planned for early 2022 and springtime; stay tuned for details!

Lastly, if you haven't submitted a potential new member to us for our 1,000-member strong campaign, please do so soon. We grow more resilient as an organization and can serve you better with a more robust membership.

I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year!

You can reach me, as always, at (203) 757-0701 or lward@waterburychamber.com. Keep scrolling for this month’s updates and events to take full advantage of what our Chamber has to offer.

Thank you, more than ever, for your continued membership,
Lynn Signature
In This Issue:
  • President's Note
  • Reopening Resources & Information
  • 2021 Holiday Gathering Recap
  • In the News
  • Welcome New Members
  • 1,000 Members Strong Campaign
  • Free HBJ and New Haven Biz Subscription Offers
  • Upcoming Events & Opportunities
  • Hiring/Training Programs
  • Newsletter Sponsor Post University
Reopening Resources & Information
2021 Holiday Gathering Recap
Thank you to everyone who attended our 2021 Holiday Gathering at La Bella Vista last week. We had a great turn out and collected many toys that were brought to Waterbury Youth Services and will benefit children in the region. A special thank you to our Board of Directors for sponsoring the event, Sweet Maria's for supplying the wonderful cookies, as well as the following businesses who donated raffle prizes: Bouquets & Beyond Floral and Events, Continuum Distilling, Hawk Ridge Winery, Michaels Jewelers, Mountain Top Liquor Store, Muni Insurance, O'Rouke & Birch Florist, Palace Theater, Ploski's Finest Liquids, Rhino Garage Doors, Terri's Flower Shop, and Viron Rondo Osteria. Thank you also to Quinn Mitchell and Al Taylor for providing the holiday musical entertainment.
In the News
Employers: Brace Yourself For Altered Paid Leave
By Lynn Ward

In just a few short weeks, on Jan. 1, 2022, substantial changes surrounding Connecticut’s Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and CT Paid Leave Act (CTPL) will take effect. The changes, which alter the requirements around FMLA and establishes an entirely new law—CT Paid Leave—will impact most businesses with one or more employees.

Currently, the state’s FMLA allows an employee to take up to 16 weeks of unpaid leave in a 24-month period for a medical or family reason. Under the legislative changes, FMLA will now apply to employers who have one or more employees—currently that threshold is 75 or more employees. The new changes allow an employee to take up to 12 weeks (longer for military caregivers and women who experienced incapacitation during pregnancy) of leave during a 12-month period. In concert with these changes, the Connecticut Paid Leave program, which was created under legislation enacted in 2019, establishes a wage replacement program for eligible employees to be compensated for pay they miss out on while taking FMLA.

There are other changes, too. Currently, an employee must have worked at least 12 months before becoming eligible to take advantage of FMLA; under the changes in 2022, an employee has to work 3 months but there is no hours worked requirement.

Confused? You are not alone, according to Andrea Barton Reeves, the first-ever Chief Executive Officer for the CT Paid Leave Authority. Their office has been fielding inquiries from business across the state. Many businesses feel that the changes are another burden that employers must take on in an already tough economic climate.

“We hear a lot from employers. They still have a fair amount of concern about how Paid Family Leave will work. We know that there is a lot of confusion,” Barton Reeves said. “It is a complex topic: one law is brand new and the other is changing. We want to make sure that small businesses have the tools and information they need to implement both FMLA and Paid Family Medical Leave in the right way.”

In 2022, it is estimated that 80,000 Connecticut residents will take some form of leave. The CT Paid Leave Authority has been fielding questions from a variety of individuals anticipating taking an extended leave in the new year and wondering how to navigate the new changes. Among the prospective applicants: expectant mothers and individuals who have put off serious surgeries and who will now have the flexibility to take the necessary time off for the procedure and recovery.

Under CTPL, businesses had to register by Dec. 31, 2020, with the CT Paid Leave Authority, which now has a trust fund of $301 million that has been collected through direct reductions from employee paychecks since January. Just last week, Governor Ned Lamont announced that applications for wage claims are being accepted now for qualifying events that are happening on or after Jan. 1, 2022.

If you are an employer who wants to learn more about these changes, the CT Paid Leave Authority will be hosting free webinars on Wednesday, Dec. 8 and Friday, Dec. 17. The webinars, which will begin at 8 a.m. on Zoom, will provide an overview of the differences between FMLA and the PFMLA. Experts will also review the responsibilities of employers, job-protected leave, income replacement, and the many resources available that they offer. There are additional opportunities for the public to learn about the changes, too. To register and learn more, visit the Authority’s events page at ctpaidleave.org

This column originally ran in the Republican-American on Monday, December 6, 2021. Look for the next Chamber Happenings column in the Republican-American on Monday, December 20.
Welcome New Members:
1,000 Members Strong Campaign
By now, you should have received a postcard in the mail, like the one above, asking for your assistance in helping us get back to 1,000 members strong. We know that with a robust and growing membership, we will all benefit. That's why we're asking you to consider referring someone you do business with or an organization that you think might have an interest in being a member of the region's premier Chamber.

We're not asking you to do the heavy lifting. Simply email the contact information of a potential member to our Membership Director Susan Sloan at ssloan@waterburychamber.com. In return, we will acknowledge your efforts in our annual report and provide you a $100 credit towards Chamber dues or activities.
Free Subscriptions to the Hartford Business Journal and New Haven Biz
As part of your Waterbury Regional Chamber Membership, you can receive free subscriptions to the Hartford Business Journal and New Haven Biz publications. Click the links below to sign up today!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
The Waterbury Regional Chamber is proud to present its 2022 Legislative Summit on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Wyndham Hotel in Southbury. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from Governor Ned Lamont, who has been invited to give the keynote speech. Following the keynote address, the summit will feature three breakout sessions, during which state issues will be discussed with members of the state's legislative delegation. The breakout sessions will be focused on a host of issues.

Breakout Sessions:
Session A: Economic Development, Transportation, and Energy & Environment
Session B: Taxes, Spending, and Labor
Session C: Health, Human Services, and Education

Support from the local business community helps convey our members' strong interested in state policy advocacy. Consider sponsoring this event.
Are you interested in learning more about this trip? Join us on January 11, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. at the Chamber offices (83 Bank Street, Waterbury) for an informational session.
For Malcolm Baldrige sponsorship opportunities, contact Chamber Events Director Chris Caulfield by email or call (203)-757-0701 ext. 324.
Looking for a unique marketing opportunity?
With 2022 quickly approaching, equip yourself with the resources you need for your business, large or small, for the changes in the Connecticut Paid Leave program. Be sure to check out the information and learning opportunities from CT Paid Leave to help you manage the process.
Hiring & Training Programs Available
Do you need help finding qualified workers for your business? Could you use some financial assistance to offset the cost of hiring and training new workers, or training your existing workforce?

The Waterbury Regional Chamber is working with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investments Board to help businesses in Greater Waterbury learn more about the available hiring and training programs and whether they qualify for them. This includes providing information on posting jobs on the states CThires.com website, as well as information about Manufacturing Innovation Fund Incumbent Worker Training, the apprenticeship program, hiring veterans and on-the-job training programs.

For more information, visit http://www.nrwib.org/
A Message From Newsletter Sponsor: Post University
Post University Brings Back New Years' Day Fireworks Display for Waterbury Residents
Post University will once again present Waterbury residents with a dazzling New Year’s Day fireworks show. The spectacular display, featuring the visual artistry of the special effects company Pyrotecnico, will light up the sky on Saturday, January 1, at 6:30 p.m. The 23-minute show will also be livestreamed via www.post.edu/fireworks.

“Last year was a year like no other and we know the fireworks last year spread lots of joy in the community at a time when we needed it most. We received many requests to have them return. As we usher in a new year, we hope this display will symbolize a bright future ahead,” said Post University CEO & President John L. Hopkins. “We invite our Waterbury neighbors to join us as we wrap up the holiday season with this magnificent fireworks show for all to enjoy!”

The fireworks will be launched from the historic Holy Land USA theme park allowing a high degree of visibility for residents to enjoy the show from their homes and from vantage points across the city. For those without a direct line of sight to the fireworks, the evening’s programming will be livestreamed on Post University’s website.

The Waterbury New Year’s fireworks display promises to elicit oohs and aahs as the night sky illuminates for this unique and impressive fireworks display. The show will feature Pyrotecnico’s famous aerial display, with a unique and creative approach to fireworks choreography. The event also will include a special segment to highlight Post University’s purple and orange colors.

“During this season of giving, Post University has once again shown its generosity to the Waterbury community,” said City of Waterbury Mayor Neil M. O’Leary. “We could not ask for better neighbors.”

In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks show will be rescheduled for January 2 at 6:30 p.m.
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