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

It was great to see so many of our members come out on April 25 for the Waterbury Regional Chamber's 134 Annual Meeting and Economic Forecast. We honored many Chamber Member business milestones, including American Electro Products, who is celebrating 70 years with us! In case you missed it, you can view our 2022-23 Annual Report here.

Consider participating in the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board's Summer Youth Program, which allows youth in the area to gain valuable work experience for six weeks, all while getting paid. For more information, visit: https://www.nrwib.org

We have a variety of events planned for the next several months. On Saturday, August 5, in partnership with the City of Waterbury and City native Al Taylor of ACT Jam Productions, our Main Street Waterbury affiliate will host the 2023 Brass City Jazz Fest, featuring many award-winning contemporary jazz musicians. This is a free event but please consider sponsoring this event, which attracts thousands of attendees from throughout the region. Click here for sponsorship opportunities.

On Monday, September 18 at The Golf Club at Oxford Greens, we will host our 28th annual Waterbury Regional Chamber Open. This tournament always fills up fast. I'm sure many of you will remember the delicious raw bar that was held before dinner last year. Registration details will be forthcoming. Get maximum exposure for your company by securing your sponsorship now so you can be promoted on the tournament invitation and other marketing materials.

We have many other networking opportunities coming up, including free Wake Up Your Businesses that will be held in Waterbury, Southbury, Naugatuck, and Watertown. Our events team is also planning additional Out For Businesses; stay tuned for details.

Want to travel to Greece? Join us October 27 through November 4, with an optional extension to Santorini for an additional two days. For details, click here.

Do you have young professionals in your organization who would benefit from networking with other area professionals, learning opportunities, and other development initiatives? Consider enrolling them in our Young Professionals of Greater Waterbury program. You can find details here.
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
  • Welcome New Members
  • Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings
  • Upcoming Events
  • Digital Advertising with the Chamber
  • A Message from Newsletter Sponsor: Post University
  • HR Corner
  • Naugatuck Chamber
  • Watertown Oakville Chamber
  • Southbury Chamber News
  • Hiring and Training Programs Available
Welcome to Our Newest Members
A warm welcome to our newest members!* We encourage you to connect with them soon and see where your next partnership can be!
Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings

Come help your fellow Chamber Member celebrate their opening, renovation completion, or milestone!
Join Us! - Upcoming Chamber Events
Wake Up Your Business

Friday, June 2
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The Local Sixty-Three Bar & Restaurant
465 Main Street
Watertown
18th Annual Naugatuck Chamber Duck Day

Sunday, June 4
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Downtown Naugatuck
Wake Up Your Business

Friday, June 16
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Calvary Southbury
354 Kettletown Road
Southbury
Wake Up Your Business

Friday, June 23
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Ion Bank Community Building
270 Church Street
Naugatuck
Travel to Greece Fall 2023

October 27 to November 4
Optional Satorini Island Extension: Nov. 4-6
Brass City Jazz Fest

Saturday, August 5
2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Library Park @ Grand Street
Waterbury
Waterbury Regional Chamber Open

Monday, September 18
Shotgun start @ noon

The Golf Club at Oxford Greens
99 Country Club Drive,
Oxford
Employer Survey: Understanding Workforce Needs
Below is a link to a brief survey we at the Waterbury Regional Chamber urge you to complete. The survey, developed as part of our partnership with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, seeks information from employers like you about your workforce needs - specifically, what challenges you face in finding qualified workers to fill open positions.

The survey should take about 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
 
Follow this link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LMJ5Q2V

We hope you will take the time to help us in gathering this important information and will be used to develop and maintain a high-quality workforce in the region. Your time and opinions are greatly appreciated.
Gain Exposure & Credibility: Digital Advertising with the Chamber
Across the country and region, individuals use Chambers of Commerce's as a primary resource for visitor, relocation, business, and community information. Advertise your business or organization on one of our four Chamber websites and reach new customers. The waterburychamber.com website, for example, annually receives over 75,000 unique website visitors, amounting to more than 153,000 website views throughout the year. Market your business or organization with the Chamber, a trusted resource for consumers and visitors to the region.

When you advertise on the Chamber's website, you're getting premier placement on the home page and most-visited pages on our websites, including:


Three different sized ads will promote your business across a variety of web spaces, including a mobile-optimized version. For a small fee, the Chamber offers banner design services, should your company need them.

As part of your membership, you have access to stats on referrals from the banner ads, among other items, such as social media links, that are listed on your Chamber profile and accessible through the Member Login portal in the upper right hand corner of each Chamber website. With the more months you advertise, the more money you save! There are also discounted rates available for non-profits.
Young Professionals of Waterbury Region
Message From Newsletter Sponsor: Post University
Post University
Commencement 2023
In recognition of academic excellence and student leadership, Post University has announced Audrey Poehler and Christopher Lynch have earned the title of valedictorian for its Main Campus and Accelerated Degree Program (ADP) commencement ceremonies. The university will celebrate its 133rd graduating class during a full weekend of events, including two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 13 at the historic Palace Theater in downtown Waterbury. 
 
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management and Homeland Security degree candidate Audrey Poehler will serve as Main Campus (MC) valedictorian during the 10 a.m. ceremony for doctoral and graduate students, all American Sentinel College undergraduate students and all Main Campus graduate and undergraduate students. The Canterbury native excelled in her academic studies while participating in several extracurricular activities, including serving as president of both the Criminal Justice Club and Emergency Management/Homeland Security Club. Poehler also was a member of the Post Women’s Soccer Team.
 
Christopher Lynch, a Bachelor of Science in Child Studies degree candidate, will represent ADP as its valedictorian during the 3 p.m. ceremony for all online Post undergraduate students. Lynch, a resident of Prospect, frequently leveraged his coursework to serve his community by designing inclusive activities for a local non-profit.
 
“Our goal is to provide students with experiences that will prepare them to contribute as engaged global citizens. This year’s valedictorians not only demonstrated academic excellence but also exemplified what it means to be a member of the Post University Eagle family,” said Post University CEO & President John L. Hopkins. “We are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to celebrating their future achievements.”
 
Post University will confer 1,746 degrees during its undergraduate and graduate ceremonies on Saturday.
 
Both ceremonies will be livestreamed via https://post.edu/graduation/livestream/
HR Corner: Jury Issues $22 million Verdict Against Manufacturer on Overtime Claim: What Happened?
This HR Corner is brought to you by Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP. Written by Attorney Nick Zaino
East Penn Manufacturing is one of the largest battery manufacturers in the world. On May 9, 2023, a federal jury in Pennsylvania awarded $22 million in back wages to over 7,500 employees. According to the United States Department of Labor (US DOL), the award is the largest recorded jury verdict ever obtained by the US DOL for claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). And that’s not all. The US DOL has stated that it intends to ask the federal court to award an equal amount in liquidated damages for the affected employees, and the US DOL will seek an injunction requiring future FLSA compliance.
 
The US DOL first investigated East Penn in 2016 after a worker complained that he was not being paid for all his working time. In its investigation the US DOL found that, typically, East Penn only paid employees for their scheduled eight-hour daily shifts and did not pay employees for the additional time it took them to put on and remove protective equipment or to shower to avoid the dangers of lead exposure and other hazards. The US DOL contended this time was compensable and, when that time was added to other working time, employees were working more than 40 hours per week, but not being paid overtime.

After a 30-day trial with testimony from 39 employees, the jury sided with the US DOL, finding that East Penn failed to pay employees for all their compensable working time and failed to pay overtime. The jury’s verdict was significantly less than the $110 million in back wages (plus an equal amount in liquidated damages) that the US DOL was seeking.

This case is a reminder to employers to be careful about paying workers for all hours worked. While this sounds obvious and simple, that is not always the case. Hours worked may include, time spent by employees changing into (donning) and changing out of (doffing) work clothes such as uniforms, protective gear or equipment. And, as the East Penn case illustrates, it may also include other activities, such as showerer, that are necessary for employees to avoid work hazards and dangers. Work time may also include time spent by employees being on-call, time spent attending lectures, meetings and training programs, travel time, and certain rest and meal periods. There are detailed federal and Connecticut regulations on when an such time is compensable.
 
While the specific amount of work time at issue may be small, the total liability can be compounded when it results in other violations, such as failure to pay overtime, and impacts numerous current and former employees. Employers are well-advised to err on the side of caution when deciding what constitutes “working time."

This information is for educational purposes only to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. It does not constitute legal advice and does not establish any attorney-client relationship.
Naugatuck Chamber News
Join us on Friday, June 32 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for our free Wake Up Your Business event at the Ion Bank Community Building at 270 Church Street in Naugatuck. Get a chance to chat with other members, learn more about chamber membership, make new connections, and bring visibility to your business.
Watertown Oakville Chamber News
Join us on Friday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for our free Wake Up Your Business event at The Local Sixty-Three Bar & Restaurant at 465 Main Street. Get a chance to chat with other members, learn more about chamber membership, make new connections, and bring visibility to your business.
Hiring & Training Programs Available
Pay Your Youth Summer Help for Free Through the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board's CT Summer Youth Employment Program

With summer on the way, area youth (ages 14 to 24) will be looking to stay busy and gain experience in the workforce.

The Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board is currently recruiting businesses to participate in their Summer Youth program! Participants' wages are paid for 6 weeks; you gain an extra set of hands, learn more about our community, and provide valuable experience to the next generation of area workers. For more information, visit www.nrwib.org. The deadline to apply is May 29.