Connecticut — Hiring & Onboarding

Connecticut prohibits employers with one or more employees from inquiring about an applicant's arrest, criminal charges, or conviction history on an initial employment application. There are two statutory exceptions: (1) where a state or federal law expressly requires the employer to inquire about criminal history, or (2) where a security or fidelity bond (or equivalent) is required for the position. Importantly, this restriction only applies to the initial application. Employers may lawfully inquire about criminal history later in the hiring process, after the initial application is submitted.

This requirement is codified in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51i(b). The current statutory text (as of June 2024) has not been materially amended since the "Ban the Box" law (Public Act No. 16-83) took effect January 1, 2017. The prior source link to the session law enactment is now dead; the current official version of § 31-51i is available on the Connecticut General Assembly's statute portal.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51i

Connecticut law requires employers to report newly hired employees to the Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL) under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254. But when the employment relationship involves remote work across state lines, the reporting obligation hinges on where the employee physically performs work—and, by proxy, where unemployment insurance (UI) tax is paid.

Core rule—“Work performed” and UI tax location: According to official Connecticut guidance, employers must report a new hire “to the state where you’ll pay their unemployment insurance tax.” For most employees, this is the state where the work is physically performed. So if an employer is based in Connecticut, but the employee lives in—and physically works in—another state (even remotely), the new-hire report generally goes to the state where the remote employee is working, not to Connecticut. The law and DOL guidance do not create a carve-out for remote workers on the employer’s Connecticut payroll: what matters is the state of actual work performance and UI liability, not the employer’s home state.

Multi-state employers—single state election option: Federal and state law do provide an alternative mechanism. Multi-state employers may elect to report all new hires to a single state if they have employees working in multiple states—provided they (a) submit reports electronically and (b) notify the Connecticut Labor Commissioner in writing of their chosen state for reporting. Without this formal election, the default still points to where the employee works and is covered for UI.

Summary:

• Report Connecticut-based hires (including remote employees physically working in Connecticut) to the Connecticut DOL.
• Report new hires performing all work out-of-state to the UI/tax state where the work is done.
• Multi-state employers may elect to file in one state for all employees, with notice to DOL.

Authoritative references:

• See Connecticut’s official business portal guidance: “You must report your new hire to the state where you'll pay their unemployment insurance tax, which is generally where the person actually works.”
• See also Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254 and CGA OLR Report 98-R-1137 for multi-state election procedures.

Source: CT Business Portal—Remote and Out-of-State Employees Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254 Source: Connecticut General Assembly Report 98-R-1137

Connecticut's restriction on criminal history inquiries on initial employment applications, codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51i(b), became effective on January 1, 2017. This law—enacted as part of Public Act No. 16-83, also known as the "Ban the Box" law—prohibits employers with one or more employees from asking about a job applicant’s prior arrests, criminal charges, or convictions on an initial employment application.

There are two statutory exceptions: (1) if a state or federal law specifically requires such an inquiry for the position, or (2) if a security or fidelity bond (or equivalent) is required for the job. Once the initial application has been submitted, the law does not restrict employers from making criminal history inquiries at later stages of the hiring process, provided those inquiries are consistent with all other applicable laws.

The effective date for these requirements is stated in Section 3 of Public Act No. 16-83: "This act shall take effect January 1, 2017."

Source: Public Act 16-83, Sec. 3

Connecticut law provides applicants and employees a defined enforcement scheme when an employer violates the ban on criminal history inquiries on initial job applications under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51i(b).

Enforcement options — CHRO or Superior Court: Under § 31-51i(j), any employee or prospective employee alleging a violation of subsection (b) (ban the box), (d) (notice requirement), (e) (ban on denial for expunged records), or (f) (retaliation) may either:

• File a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) following the process in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-82, or
• Bring an action in the Connecticut Superior Court for declaratory or injunctive relief, damages, or any other remedy available at law or in equity.

The statute is explicit: the individual can choose only one enforcement route per claim—either the CHRO process or a direct court action. It does not allow both for the same alleged violation.

Remedies and process:

• The forms of relief available in Superior Court are stated directly: declaratory or injunctive relief, damages, or other legal or equitable remedy.
• The CHRO process is governed by § 46a-82, as with other employment discrimination complaints, although the statute does not enumerate what forms of specific relief the CHRO may order in this context.

Scope — which subsections covered:

• The CHRO and Superior Court enforcement mechanisms in § 31-51i(j) apply ONLY to violations of subsections (b), (d), (e), or (f) (criminal history inquiry ban and accompanying protections).
• Alleged violations of other parts of § 31-51i, such as (a), (c), (g), (h), or (i), fall under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Labor Commissioner, not the CHRO or courts, per the statute.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51i(j) Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-82

Connecticut law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254) requires all employers to report new hires and certain independent contractors to the state Department of Labor, but the statute does not specify any civil or criminal penalties for failing to comply or for late reporting. The statute is detailed about which employers and employees are covered, what must be reported, and how the information may be used for child support enforcement and fraud prevention, but it is silent on any explicit penalty for noncompliance by the employer. Neither the primary statute nor the Connecticut Department of Labor's official new hire reporting web guidance identifies any monetary fine or enforcement action particular to this section. As of this writing, there are no regulations published by the Department of Labor citing a penalty for a late or missed new hire report under § 31-254. (If penalties are added via amendment or by parallel statutory authority in another section, this guide will be updated accordingly.)

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254 Source: Connecticut Department of Labor — New Hire Reporting

Connecticut law imposes specific written notice requirements at the time of hire, along with several posting duties that employers must address up front. Here is a practitioner’s field guide to the mandatory onboarding disclosures for new Connecticut employees, divided by type—and anchored to the statutory text or regulation for each.

1. Wage and pay information (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-71f) At hire, every employer must give each employee a written statement listing:

• the employee’s pay rate,
• the hours of employment, and
• the regular pay schedule (e.g., weekly, biweekly).

This written advisement can also be provided digitally, and must be clear enough that the employee knows their basic wage terms. Policies on wages, vacation, sick leave, and benefits must be made available in writing or by a workplace posting but do not all need to be delivered in the initial onboarding notice. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-71f

2. Connecticut Paid Sick Leave (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-57w) Employers that meet the definition under the Paid Sick Leave law (mainly those with 50 or more service workers, but see statutory detail for exceptions) must give each new employee a written notice at hire. The notice must explain:

• your entitlement to paid sick leave (including amount and accrual),
• that retaliation for using sick leave is illegal, and
• your right to file a complaint with the Labor Commissioner.

The law also requires these notices to be posted conspicuously at the workplace, in both English and Spanish. Written notice to the employee is required at hire; the posting is a parallel duty. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-57w

3. Connecticut Family & Medical Leave (CTFMLA) (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-49q) Every employer subject to the state FMLA must provide, at hiring and then annually, written notice on:

• the employee’s rights under §§ 31-51kk to 31-51qq and 31-51ss (the full statute cluster on family/medical leave and paid leave),
• the right to apply for compensation benefits,
• anti-retaliation protections,
• and how to file a complaint.

The Connecticut Department of Labor offers a model text, but any notice meeting all statutory elements is valid. Notices may be delivered via email, paper, or employer intranet as long as they are accessible. CTFMLA is broader than federal FMLA; check coverage. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-49q Source: CT DOL model CTFMLA notice

4. Federal FMLA Notice (Conn. Regs. § 31-51qq-26) Employers covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) must provide new hires with written information on FMLA rights—either via a handbook or as a written handout. This must cover eligibility, leave entitlements, employee obligations, and directions for raising complaints. The state regulation requires this notice at hiring; electronic delivery is permissible. Source: Conn. Reg. § 31-51qq-26

5. Sexual harassment policy disclosures (Conn. Reg. § 46a-54-201) Employers with three or more employees must post a workplace notice (not necessarily hand-to-hire) stating that sexual harassment is unlawful under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-60(a)(8) and Title VII, defining harassment, and listing how employees can seek remedies from the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO). This is a posting requirement, but onboarding packets should alert new hires to the poster’s location and content. Source: Conn. Reg. § 46a-54-201

6. New-hire reporting duty (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254) Hiring employers must report all new hires to the Connecticut Department of Labor within 20 days, using a process defined by statute. This is not a notice delivered to the employee but is a backend compliance step that must be completed promptly. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-254

Each element, direct or posting, is required—so an onboarding checklist should cover wage notices, paid sick leave and FMLA disclosures, location of postings, and scheduling the new-hire report promptly. Failing to provide any one of these can expose the employer to DOL enforcement or private complaint.