Sec. 31-379. Discriminatory practices prohibited. Complaint: Filing; hearing; relief. Appeal to Superior Court.
Sec. 31-379. Discriminatory practices prohibited. Complaint: Filing; hearing;
relief. Appeal to Superior Court. (a) No person shall discharge, discipline, penalize
or in any manner discriminate against any employee (1) because such employee has
filed any complaint or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or
related to this chapter, (2) because such employee has testified or is about to testify in
any such proceeding, or (3) because of the exercise by such employee on behalf of such
employee or others of any right afforded by this chapter.
(b) Any employee who believes that such employee has been discharged, disciplined, penalized or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of subsection (a) of this section may, not later than one hundred eighty days after such violation
occurs, file a complaint with the commissioner alleging such violation. Upon receipt of
such complaint the commissioner shall hold a hearing in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 54.
(c) The commissioner may award an aggrieved employee all appropriate relief,
including rehiring or reinstatement of the employee to the employee's former position,
back pay and reestablishment of any employee benefits to which the employee would
otherwise have been eligible if such violation had not occurred. The commissioner shall
award a prevailing employee such employee's costs, together with reasonable attorneys'
fees to be determined by the commissioner.
(d) Any party aggrieved by the commissioner's decision under subsection (c) of
this section may appeal the decision to the Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(P.A. 73-379, S. 12, 21; P.A. 76-436, S. 265, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 5, 127; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2;
P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; P.A. 99-146.)
History: P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 replaced
"Hartford county" with "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain"; P.A. 88-230 replaced "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" with "judicial district of Hartford", effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of
P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from
September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230
from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-146 made technical changes, amended
Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. indicators and prohibit employers from disciplining or penalizing employees who file complaints
or institute proceedings under the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Act, amended Subsec. (b) to extend the
time for filing complaints against employers from 30 to 180 days following a violation and delete provisions requiring
the commissioner to investigate complaints and institute Superior Court actions as necessary and instead required the
commissioner to hold hearings on complaints in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act, amended
Subsec. (c) to delete the commissioner's notice requirements and specify the relief the commissioner is authorized to grant
to aggrieved employees in Subsec. and added a new Subsec. (d) to authorize appeals to the Superior Court.
Cited. 40 CA 577.