On July 1, 2019, Connecticut Governor Lamont signed Public Act No. 19-89 into law. The law, which goes into effect October 1, 2019, requires nursing home facilities in the state of Connecticut to post daily information and reinstate employees or residents after retaliation.
Nursing home facilities must post at the beginning of each shift the following information:
- name of nursing home facility;
- date;
- total number of advanced practice registered nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse’s aides responsible for direct patient care during the shift;
- total number of hours each member of the nursing staff is scheduled to work during the shift;
- total number of residents;
- the minimum number of direct care nursing staff per shift required by Connecticut Department of Public Health regulations; and
- telephone number or website where a resident, employee, or visitor can report a suspected violation of the staffing requirements.
This information must be displayed in a conspicuous location readily accessible to and clearly visible by residents, employees and visitors of the nursing home facility, including persons in a wheelchair. The information must be kept for at least 18 months.
If the Connecticut Department of Public Health finds that a nursing home facility has substantially failed to comply with the nursing home staffing level requirements, the commissioner may take any disciplinary action against the nursing home facility or issue a written citation to the facility. If cited, the nursing home facility must display the citation where residents, employees and visitors can see it.
The new law also requires that nursing homes do not discharge or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against any resident, or any relative, guardian, conservator or sponsoring agency thereof or against any employee because that person has filed a complaint, initiated any investigatory proceeding or testified against any such facility or home, or exercising any other protected right afforded to such individual under state law. A nursing home facility must reinstate the employee, if the employee was terminated from employment in violation of any provision of this law, or restore the resident to his or her living situation prior to such discrimination or retaliation. An employee or resident may also be entitled to treble damages in the event of prohibited retaliation.
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