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! | |
To advertise your business or organization in the October member marketplace and get premier placement for your company, contact David Huck at dhuck@waterburychamber.com or call 203-757-0701. Space is limited! $100 per ad. | |
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- Thursday, September 12 @ 2:30 p.m. - Connecticut Distilling (Formerly known as Continuum Distilling/under new ownership/renovations) - 2066 Thomaston Avenue - Waterbury
- Friday, September 13, 2024 @ 11 a.m. - Michaels Jewelers - 775 Main Street South - Southbury
- Thursday, September 19 @ 11 a.m. - SPYNE Pilates Studio - 77 Main Street North, #204 - Southbury
Come out and help your fellow Chamber members come celebrate their special occasion!
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Special Group Pricing Rates for UConn Football Games
Looking for a unique staff outing? The University of Connecticut is offering discounted rates to groups of 10 people or more for home football games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
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Members of the Waterbury Regional Chamber and its employees, including families living in the household, are eligible to receive a tuition reduction under a partnership established with Post University. This partnership also extends to the three affiliate Chambers in Naugatuck, Southbury, and Watertown Oakville.
Through the partnership, the employees of businesses who belong to the Chamber, their spouses and their family living in the household are eligible for a 20 percent tuition reduction but they must complete the application process. The tuition reduction is for online undergraduate and graduate programs, including high school family members looking to complete college coursework for general education requirements as well as nurses looking for advanced degrees
To learn more about Post University or this Chamber partnership, visit partners.
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Other Upcoming Chamber Events | |
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Sep. 18: Young Professionals of Waterbury Region Mini Golf Tournament
Energize your employees with an evening of team building! The Young Professionals of Waterbury Region will be hosting their 9th annual Mini Golf Tournament taking place on September 18 at Hidden Valley Mini Golf in Southington.
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Sep. 25: Business Women's Forum Pop-Up at Quarry Walk
Featuring a business crawl, giveaways, and networking with TV and radio host Renee DiNino. Enjoy light bites and refreshments while getting an exclusive preview of the 2025 BWF conference speakers and discounted tickets.
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From Our Newsletter Sponsor: Post University | |
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Post University Names Karin Mann to Lead Eagles Athletics
Post University announced that following a comprehensive national search, Karin Mann, Senior Associate Athletic Director, has been named the new Director of Athletics. An influential and long-time member of Post athletics department, Mann has a track-record of cultivating student-athlete success in the classroom, the community and on the field. She began in the role in August.
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“Karin’s journey with Post began in 1998 when she joined the athletics department as a part-time athletic trainer for (then) Teikyo Post University. Over the past 26 years, she has become the longest-tenured and one of the most versatile members of our athletics department,” Senior Vice President Scott Allen said. “Her vast knowledge of Division II athletics, skill at building relationships and her deep compassion for student-athletes have earned her immense respect from colleagues, student-athletes, and parents alike.” Within the NCAA Division II, Mann is one of 75 female directors of athletics across its member schools.
Under her guidance, the cumulative grade point average of the athletics program reached 3.50 in 2023.
In her role as senior associate athletic director at Post University, Mann worked closely with the Counseling Center to provide more athletic focused mental health services to the University’s 22 NCAA Division II teams, including establishing the specific role of Athletic Health and Wellness Counselor.
Her extensive experience within the athletics department included roles such as – Compliance Coordinator, Assistant Athletic Director, Sr. Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator. She also currently serves as one of the institutions Deputy Title IX coordinators.
Mann holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacred Heart University and a master’s degree in athletic training from California University of Pennsylvania.
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HR Corner: Texas Judge Blocks FTC’s Ban on Non-Compete Agreements from Taking Effect Nationwide | |
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On August 20, 2024, a federal judge struck down the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed ban on non-compete agreements, blocking its enforcement on a national basis.
As discussed in a prior article, the FTC issued a Final Rule that, as of September 4, 2024, would have invalidated nearly all existing non-compete agreements and barred employers from entering into non-compete agreements with workers in the future. In striking down the Final Rule, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown held that the FTC exceeded its statutory authority when it adopted the Final Rule, and that the Final Rule itself was arbitrary and capricious.
Judge Brown first concluded that the FTC lacked the authority to issue the Final Rule because Congress only authorized it to issue procedural or “housekeeping” rules to address unfair methods of competition, not substantive rules. “The role of an administrative agency is to do as told by Congress, not to do what the agency thinks it should do,” the court reasoned. The fact that there are no statutory penalties for violating rules promulgated by the FTC further supported the court’s conclusion that the FTC lacked substantive rulemaking authority.
The court then found that the Final Rule was arbitrary and capricious—a standard that considers the reasonableness of an agency’s action—“because it is unreasonably overbroad without a reasonable explanation” and would impose “a one-size-fits-all approach with no end date.” The court pointed out that no state in the country has enacted a non-compete ban as broad as the FTC’s sweeping Final Rule and underscored that the Final Rule may have targeted specific, harmful non-competes, rather than imposing a blanket “categorical ban.”
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Based on these reasons, the court ultimately concluded that the Final Rule was “an unlawful agency action” requiring it to be set aside with nationwide effect.
The FTC is considering an appeal of the decision. It is also possible that the FTC may seek to stay the court’s decision pending the appeal. Whatever the FTC ultimately decides, it is clear that employers are relieved—at least for the time being—from the obligations originally set to take effect on September 4th.
It is important to remember, however, that no matter how welcome this latest development, non-competes continue to be heavily scrutinized. For example, the FTC emphasized that the court’s decision does not “prevent [it] from addressing non-competes through case-by-case enforcement actions.” The General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board also takes the position that non-compete agreements violate the National Labor Relations Act, and a number of states have passed or proposed legislation limiting the use of non-competes.
Employers are encouraged to review their use of non-compete agreements, including reviewing which employees are required to sign them and ensuring they are narrowly tailored to meet state law requirements.
*Vincent Farisello is a partner at Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP and co-leader of the firm’s Labor & Employment Group. Maria Laurato is an associate in Carmody’s Labor & Employment Group.
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.
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Advertising Opportunity: Manufacturing Today | |
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The Southbury Chamber will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wyndham Southbury Hotel. During the event, the Chamber will present four awards, recognizing exceptional individuals and businesses that have made significant contributions to the community:
Community Leader of the Year: Danielle Hawthorne, Southbury Neighbors Magazine
Business of the Year: Señor Panchos
New Business of the Year: Gyre9
Unsung Hero: Kenneth Korsu
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Watertown Oakville Chamber News | |
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Three business leaders will be honored at the Watertown Oakville Chamber's Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner November 7, 2024, as we celebrate our Chamber’s accomplishments and supporters.
As a Chamber member, we’re requesting that you submit a nomination for each of the following awards: Community Leader of the Year; Unsung Hero; and Beautification. Please submit your nominations using the button below by noon on Monday, September 16, 2024.
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Hiring & Training Programs Available | |
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The Northwest Construction Careers Initiative
NCCI — The Northwest Construction Careers Initiative — offers Northwest Connecticut residents the opportunity to pursue a career in the construction and building trades. Job training and employment possibilities include:
- OSHA 10, OSHA 30, and Hazwoper certifications
- CORE Curriculum, which includes HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical.
Orientation sessions are held each Thursday at 249 Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury, CT beginning at 10AM. You do not need to RSVP to attend, but you will need to be on time to participate.
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Healthcare training program
The NRWIB is currently offering training opportunities in the following fields:
- Patient Care Technician
- Central Sterile Processing
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Certified Nurse’s Aide
- Community Health Worker
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CT WHISP Program
Connecticut Workforce & High-Tech Industry Skills Partnership (CTWhisp) Program offers a variety of IT career training at schools such as Naugatuck Valley Community College and Patrick’s Academy.
Naugatuck Valley Community College in partnership with the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board is offering grant-funded, short-term (15 weeks), IT course clusters aligned with industry certifications and supportive services. Clusters include Networking, Programming, Systems, Software and Project Management. Each IT cluster has been mapped to Microsoft and/or CompTIA certifications. The course clusters are offered free of charge to eligible CTWHISP participants. Additional services include enrollment assistance, academic advising, and employment services. In addition to gaining skills and stackable credentials, participants at NVCC will earn between 9-12 college credits that may be used towards a degree.
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