As used in sections 32-475 to 32-480, inclusive: “High performance work organization” means a person, firm or corporation which establishes a work environment which enhances the ability of the person, firm or corporation to:

(1) Demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement of products and services and cost reductions for such products and services;

(2) Encourage decentralized decision-making, worker participation at all levels and greater reliance on front-line workers;

(3) Develop a worker-management relationship based on consideration of mutual interests and concerns;

(4) Adopt an organizational structure which includes flexible, cross-functional teams responsible for training, customer service, operational problem-solving and product design and development;

(5) Cultivate an environment which permits managers to assume motivational and leadership functions, including, but not limited to, long-range planning, coaching and facilitation, rather than serving only as enforcers;

(6) Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing training of all workers, including front-line staff, and training to enable the company to meet ISO 9000 standards;

(7) Implement a flexible benefits program and innovative compensation schemes, such as profit-sharing, gain-sharing, skill-based pay or pay-for-performance systems;

(8) Demonstrate a commitment to a safe and healthful workplace;

(9) Solicit suggestions from customers and suppliers in designing and developing products and services;

(10) Demonstrate a commitment to delivering a greater variety of high quality products at a lower cost through manufacturing innovations such as concurrent engineering, flexible manufacturing and just-in-time production;

(11) Provide wages and benefits that meet or exceed industry averages; and

(12) Participate in a Connecticut career certificate program established by a local or regional board of education, the Technical Education and Career System or regional education service center and approved by the Commissioner of Education and the Labor Commissioner.

(P.A. 94-116, S. 1, 28; P.A. 12-116, S. 87; P.A. 17-237, S. 110.)

History: P.A. 94-116 effective July 1, 1994; pursuant to P.A. 12-116, “regional vocational-technical school” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “technical high school” in Subdiv. (12), effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 17-237 amended Subdiv. (12) by replacing “technical high school” with “the Technical Education and Career System”, effective July 1, 2017.