Connecticut passes act protecting employees' freedom of speech

On May 17, 2022, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 22-24, An Act Protecting Employee Freedom of Speech and Conscience. The legislation prohibits disciplining employees for exercising their free-speech rights and prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend certain meetings.

Overview

The new law states that employers cannot subject or threaten to subject employees to discipline or termination based on their refusal to “attend an employer-sponsored meeting with the employer . . . the primary purpose of which is to communicate the employer’s opinion concerning religious or political matters.”

It also prohibits employers from requiring employees to “listen to speech or view communications, the primary purpose of which is to communicate the employer’s opinion concerning religious or political matters.” Most notably, the law prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings that focus on “the decision to join or support any . . . labor organization.” The new language is designed to ban so-called “captive audience” meetings in Connecticut.

The law defines “political matters” as “matters relating to elections for political office, political parties, proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulation and the decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal or labor organization.” “Religious matters” are defined as “matters relating to religious affiliation and practice and the decision to join or support any religious organization or association.”