Advisory Opinion No. 1993-19
Application Of
Prohibition On Contingent Fees
To Year-End Bonuses Given To
Lobbyist Employees
In response to queries raised by various lobbyists,
Connecticut General Statutes ยง1-97(b) states that no person “shall be employed as a lobbyist for compensation which is contingent upon the outcome of any administrative or legislative action.” Thus, bonuses given to communicator lobbyists based on the outcome of their lobbying activities (e.g., because a particular bill is passed or “killed”), whether given by a corporate employer, a lobbying firm employer or a lobbying client, are prohibited. If, however, a corporate employer or lobbying firm employer customarily gives its salaried employees a year-end bonus (such as a $100 gift certificate, or a standard bonus based on a percentage of each individual’s total yearly salary), then a lobbyist/employee may also receive the bonus.
By order of the Commission,
Christopher T. Donohue
Chairperson