AN ACT CONCERNING THE STANDARD WAGE FOR CERTAIN CONNECTICUT WORKERS.

This bill creates a new method for determining the hourly wage and benefits for employees under the standard wage law, which governs compensation for employees of private contractors who do building and property maintenance, property management, and food service work in state buildings. Under the bill, such employees will receive the same prevailing wage rates and prevailing benefits as employees working under the union agreement covering the same type of work for the largest number of hourly nonsupervisory employees, as long as it covers at least 500 employees, in Hartford County.

This ties the state pay and benefits for standard wage workers to those provided under the private sector union contract that meets the bill's criteria. (At least one union contract meets the criteria; see BACKGROUND. ) If there is no private sector contract that meets the bill's criteria, then the law's current standard wage rate will apply.

The new wages and benefits affect standard wage contract workers hired after July 1, 2009. Those already working for standard wage employers on or before July 1, 2009 will be paid an hourly wage based on the current standard wage law, but after July 1, 2009 their benefits will be the same as those working under a Hartford County union contract for the same type of work.

The bill requires a new contractor that takes over an existing building service to keep the employees from the predecessor contract for at least 90 days after the date it begins service under the successor contract and permits it to fire them only for cause. This provision does not apply to employees who worked less than 15 hours a week or who were employed at the worksite for less than 60 days.

If an employee performs satisfactorily during the 90-day period, the successor contractor must offer him or her continued employment for the contract's duration under the terms and conditions of the successor contractor or as required by law.

The bill excludes people with disabilities or disadvantaged people working in the janitorial work pilot program under contracts with no more than four full-time workers from the provision requiring employees to be hired by a new contractor taking over a predecessor contract. This appears to apply whether the people under the janitorial pilot program work for the new contractor taking over a predecessor contract or for the predecessor contractor when the new contractor takes over. The bill also exempts employees under the janitorial work pilot program from the requirement that the standard wage be considered their minimum wage.

*House Amendment “A” (1) adds holidays to the prevailing rate of benefits that is applied to all standard wage workers after July 1, 2009 and removes holidays from part of the bill that applied a penalty from existing law of between $ 2,500 and $ 5,000 on employers for not providing paid holidays; (2) requires the labor commissioner to (a) reclassify anyone hired prior to July 1, 2009 as a grounds maintenance laborer or laborer as a janitor and (b) classify anyone hired after July 1, 2009 performing the duty of a grounds maintenance laborer, laborer, or janitor as a light cleaner, heavy cleaner, furniture handler, or window cleaner, as appropriate; (3) specifies the bill's job protection provision for employees from a predecessor contract does not apply to those who worked less than 15 hours a week or who were employed at the site less than 60 days for the predecessor; and (4) makes technical changes.

Under the bill, “prevailing rate of wages” means the hourly wages paid for work performed in Hartford under the union contract covering the largest number of hourly nonsupervisory employees employed in Hartford County in each classification the labor commissioner establishes, as long as the union contract covers at least 500 employees. By law, the commissioner must base the classifications on occupation codes and titles in the federal Register of Wage Determinations under the Service Contract Act (41 USC § 351, et seq. ).

The bill defines “prevailing rate of benefits” as the total hourly cost to the employer for work performed in Hartford under a union contract that establishes the prevailing rate of wages for providing health, welfare, and retirement benefits, including benefits for:

1. medical, surgical, or hospital care;

2. disability or death;

3. unemployment;

4. pension;

5. vacation, holiday, and personal leave;

6. training; and

7. legal services.

These benefits may include payment made directly to employees, payments to purchase insurance, and payments or contributions paid or payable by the employer on behalf of each employee to any employee benefits fund.

It defines “employee benefit fund” as any trust fund established by (1) one or more employers and one or more unions or (2) one or more other third-parties not affiliated with the employers to provide, whether through the purchase of insurance or annuity contracts or other means, benefits under an employee health, welfare, or retirement plan. The definition excludes funds whose trustee or trustees are subject to supervision by the banking commissioner of this or any other state, the U. S. comptroller of the currency, or the Federal Reserve Board. This description meets the federal Taft-Hartley Act standard for an employee benefit fund.

The bill requires the labor commissioner to (1) reclassify as a janitor anyone hired prior to July 1, 2009, as a grounds maintenance laborer or laborer and (2) classify anyone hired after July 1, 2009 performing the duty of a grounds maintenance laborer, laborer, or janitor as a light cleaner, heavy cleaner, furniture handler, or window cleaner, as appropriate.

The new wages and benefits affect standard wage contract workers hired after July 1, 2009. Employees already working for standard wage employers on or before that date will be paid an hourly wage based on the current standard wage law, but after July 1, 2009 their benefits will be the same as those under a Hartford County union contract for the same type of work.

Under the bill, if there is no private sector union contract for at least 500 employees in Hartford County doing the same work, then the wage rate determination in the current standard wage law will apply. Under the current standard wage law, the commissioner sets the hourly rate for all job classes based on those identified in the Federal Register of Wage Determinations, plus a 30% surcharge to represent the cost of health and retirement benefits. The employer either provides benefits equal to the 30% surcharge or pays the employees the additional 30%.

This law requires contractors that provide the state or its agents with building cleaning or maintenance; or food, property, or equipment services to pay their employees at least the standard wage rates as the commissioner determines. It also (1) prescribes how contracting agents inform potential bidders of standard wage rates to be met in preparing a contract proposal; (2) requires covered employers to maintain records of each employee's wages, hours, and classification and to make these records available to the contracting agent; (3) establishes penalties for filing a false certified payroll and fines for failing to pay the required rate; and (4) authorizes the labor department to investigate complaints and enforce the law.

The Service Employees International Union's (SEIU) Local 32BJ currently has a four-year contract (January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011) with the Hartford Area Cleaning Contractors Association to provide building and janitorial services to a number of office buildings in greater Hartford. The local has more than 500 members.

Yea

Nay

(03/12/2009)

Yea

Nay

(04/23/2009)