Connecticut Passes Landmark Warehouse Worker Protection Bill

Connecticut Enacts Groundbreaking Warehouse Worker Protection Law

(HARTFORD, Conn.) – In a significant development for workers' rights, Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont has approved the Warehouse Worker Protection Bill, marking a historic win for the Teamsters union.

Rocco Calo, Teamsters International Vice President for the Eastern Region, remarked on the hard-fought journey to passing the bill, stating, “It was a multi-year fight by Connecticut Teamsters to get this bill passed, but we don’t back down from tough fights — we win them. This is an extraordinary victory for the safety and prosperity of warehouse workers throughout our state.”

The legislation introduces regulations for high-surveillance, data-heavy warehouse management systems, like those used by Amazon, aiming to curb harmful productivity quotas that could lead to worker injuries and missed breaks. The law prevents such quotas from being concealed from employees.

This new statute provides enhanced protection for warehouse employees, including unique enforcement options that enable workers to file lawsuits against non-compliant employers. Additionally, the Connecticut Attorney General is empowered to initiate civil lawsuits for collective worker rights violations.

“This law will put an end to the race to the bottom in the warehousing industry, which is driving sky-high injury rates at Amazon and other bad employers,” Calo added. Gratitude was extended to key supporters such as Senate President Martin Looney, State Sen. Julie Kushner, Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, State Rep. Manny Sanchez, and Governor Lamont for their commitment to worker safety.

As the sixth state in the U.S. and the first in New England to adopt such measures, Connecticut joins California, New York, Washington, Minnesota, and Oregon, where the Teamsters have successfully campaigned for similar legislation.

Established in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million workers across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. For more details, visit Teamster.org. Follow updates on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.