Board approves development of one‑day employer leave management conference

The CT Paid Leave Authority voted to proceed with development of a one‑day Employer Leave Management Conference designed for employers, HR professionals and business owners to learn how to manage paid leave and related laws.

Staff described the proposed event as running from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Courtyard in Cromwell on a target date of Sept. 16. The agenda would cover Connecticut paid leave, FMLA, ADA and other federal obligations, plus best practices for documentation, record keeping and supporting employees. Staff said the venue quote for rental, food and audio‑visual services was “just over $6,000.” They proposed pursuing SHRM continuing education credits and, if credits are available, a small attendance fee to help offset costs; sponsorships or gifts to the state were also mentioned as underwriting options.

Board members queried whether to charge attendees; staff said they were open to charging if it helped attendance and could be justified by continuing education credits. Staff clarified the board was not being asked to approve a budget amount at this meeting; instead, the board approved development and staff will present budget requests in the FY27 cycle. Chair Fran Pastore asked for a motion to move forward; a motion to approve development was made by Eva and seconded by Isha. After a brief clarification that the motion did not commit funds beyond staff work to develop the event and that expected costs should be under $6,000–$7,000, the board voted in favor and the motion carried.

Next steps noted by staff included pursuing SHRM credit approval, refining the agenda and partner invitations (Department of Labor, CHRO, SHRM, CBIA, Connecticut nonprofit and legal groups), and returning with budget details during the FY27 process.