One of the things that law school teaches you is to read the definitions of words in any new law that is passed. Why? Because a word like “employer” may be defined differently than what you would expect.

That’s a hard concept for real employers to understand. After all, how can you be an “employer” in one part of the law, but not an “employer” in another? Such is the nature of bill drafting.

I’m reminded of that lesson when looking at the Paid Sick Leave Act to determine if towns and cities are covered by the new law. Here is the relevant portion of definition of employer:

“Employer” means any person, firm, business, educational institution, nonprofit agency, corporation, limited liability company or other entity that employs fifty or more individuals in the state in any one quarter in the previous year, which shall be determined on January first, annually. Such determination shall be made based upon the wage information submitted to the Labor Commissioner by the employer pursuant to subsection (j) of section 31-225a of the general statutes.