OLR Bill Analysis

sHB 6191

AN ACT CONCERNING IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR MAJOR LAYOFFS OR DISMISSALS OF STATE EMPLOYEES.

SUMMARY:

This bill requires, before any governor-recommended major layoff or dismissal of state employees takes place, the Office of Policy and Management secretary, or his designee, submit to the General Assembly a written statement on the effect of the employee reduction. The statement must describe the effect the layoff or dismissal will have on the affected agency, department, board, or commission and any clients or consumers it serves.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2009

DEFINITIONS

The bill defines a “major layoff or dismissal” as the loss during any 12-month period of (1) at least 5% of the total agency, department, board, or commission positions and (2) at least 100 employees of the agency, department, board, or commission. The bill does not define “position,” but it defines “state employee” as any full- or part-time employee, whether classified or unclassified, in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches and any employee of a quasi-public agency. The definition excludes judges.

REQUIRED PARTS OF THE IMPACT STATEMENT

The bill requires the written impact statement to describe:

1. the level of service that the agency, department, board, or commission will be able to provide as a result of the major layoff or dismissal;

2. the specific plan for the agency, department, board, or commission to continue to provide required services after the layoff or dismissal;

3. whether the agency will be required to hire any outside consultants or contractors in order to provide required services after the layoff or dismissal;

4. the total costs, including the costs of outside consultants or contractors, that will be incurred in order to continue to provide required services;

5. the number of consumers or residents who will lose services, in whole or in part, as a result of the layoff or dismissal;

6. a description of the services that will be lost or delayed as a result of the layoff or dismissal; and

7. the specific impact upon residents currently being served by employees who were laid off.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Labor and Public Employees Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute

Yea

9

Nay

2

(03/03/2009)