2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 46a - Human Rights › Chapter 814c - Human Rights and Opportunities › Section 46a-68. (Formerly Sec. 4-61s). - State affirmative action plans: Filing; monitoring; reports; equal employment opportunity officers; review and investigation of discrimination complaints; regulations.

(a) Each state agency, department, board and commission with twenty-five, or more, full-time employees shall develop and implement, in cooperation with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, an affirmative action plan that commits the agency, department, board or commission to a program of affirmative action in all aspects of personnel and administration. Such plan shall be developed pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in accordance with chapter 54 to ensure that affirmative action is undertaken as required by state and federal law to provide equal employment opportunities and to comply with all responsibilities under the provisions of sections 4-61u to 4-61w, inclusive, sections 46a-54 to 46a-64, inclusive, section 46a-64c and sections 46a-70 to 46a-78, inclusive. The executive head of each such agency, department, board or commission shall be directly responsible for the development, filing and implementation of such affirmative action plan. The Metropolitan District of Hartford County shall be deemed to be a state agency for purposes of this section and sections 4a-60, 4a-60a and 4a-60g.
(b) (1) Each state agency, department, board or commission shall designate a full-time or part-time equal employment opportunity officer. If such equal employment opportunity officer is an employee of the agency, department, board or commission, the executive head of the agency, department, board or commission shall be directly responsible for the supervision of the officer.
(2) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall provide training and technical assistance to equal employment opportunity officers in plan development and implementation.
(3) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity shall provide training concerning state and federal discrimination laws and techniques for conducting investigations of discrimination complaints to persons designated by state agencies, departments, boards or commissions as equal employment opportunity officers and persons designated by the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee to represent such agencies, departments, boards or commissions pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection. On or after October 1, 2011, such training shall be provided for a minimum of five hours during the first year of service or designation, and a minimum of three hours every two years thereafter.
(4) (A) Each person designated by a state agency, department, board or commission as an equal employment opportunity officer shall (i) be responsible for mitigating any discriminatory conduct within the agency, department, board or commission, (ii) investigate all complaints of discrimination made against the state agency, department, board or commission, except if any such complaint has been filed with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the state agency, department, board or commission may rely upon the process of the applicable commission, as applicable, in lieu of such investigation, and (iii) report all findings and recommendations upon the conclusion of an investigation to the commissioner or director of the state agency, department, board or commission for proper action. An equal employment opportunity officer shall not disclose witness statements or documents received or compiled in conjunction with the investigation of a complaint of discriminatory conduct within the agency, department, board or commission until the conclusion of such investigation, except that witness statements or documents may be disclosed to personnel charged with investigating or adjudicating such complaint, or to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. If a state agency, department, board or commission relies upon the process of an applicable commission investigation pursuant to clause (ii) of this subparagraph, such agency, department, board or commission shall not be relieved of its duty to mitigate discriminatory conduct under clause (i) of this subparagraph or of its responsibility to take immediate corrective action to prevent a like occurrence.
(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (A)(i), (A)(ii) and (A)(iii) of this subdivision, if a discrimination complaint is made against the executive head of a state agency or department, any member of a state board or commission or any equal employment opportunity officer alleging that the executive head, member or officer directly or personally engaged in discriminatory conduct, or if a complaint of discrimination is made by the executive head of a state agency, any member of a state board or commission or any equal employment opportunity officer, the complaint shall be referred to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities for review and, if appropriate, investigation by the Department of Administrative Services, except if any such complaint has been filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or Department of Administrative Services may rely upon the process of the applicable commission in lieu of such investigation. If the discrimination complaint is made by or against the executive head, any member or the equal employment opportunity officer of the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging that the executive head, member or officer directly or personally engaged in discriminatory conduct, the commission shall refer the complaint to the Department of Administrative Services for review and, if appropriate, investigation. If the complaint is by or against the executive head or equal employment opportunity officer of the Department of Administrative Services, the complaint shall be referred to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities for review and, if appropriate, investigation. Each person who conducts an investigation pursuant to this subparagraph shall report all findings and recommendations upon the conclusion of such investigation to the appointing authority of the individual who was the subject of the complaint for proper action. The provisions of this subparagraph shall apply to any such complaint pending on or after July 5, 2007.
(5) Each person designated by a state agency, department, board or commission as an equal employment opportunity officer, and each person designated by the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee to represent an agency pursuant to subdivision (6) of this subsection, shall complete training provided by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection.
(6) No person designated by a state agency, department, board or commission as an equal employment opportunity officer shall represent such agency, department, board or commission before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission concerning a discrimination complaint. If a discrimination complaint is filed with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against a state agency, department, board or commission, the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, other than the equal employment opportunity officer for such agency, department, board or commission, shall represent the state agency, department, board or commission before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In the case of a discrimination complaint filed against the Metropolitan District of Hartford County, the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, shall not represent such district before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
(c) Each state agency, department, board and commission that employs two hundred fifty or more full-time employees shall file an affirmative action plan developed in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, semiannually, except that any state agency, department, board or commission which has an affirmative action plan approved by the commission may be permitted to file its plan on an annual basis in a manner prescribed by the commission and any state agency, department, board or commission that employs twenty-five or more employees but fewer than two hundred fifty full-time employees shall file its affirmative action plan biennially, unless the commission disapproves the most recent submission of the plan, in which case the commission may require the resubmission of such plan by a time chosen by the commission, until the plan is approved. All affirmative action plans shall be filed electronically, if practicable.
(d) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall review and formally approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the content of such affirmative action plans within ninety days of the submission of each plan to the commission. If the commissioners, by a majority vote of those present and voting, fail to approve, conditionally approve or disapprove a plan within such period, the plan shall be deemed to be approved. Any plan that is filed more than ninety days after the date such plan is due to be filed in accordance with the schedule established pursuant to subsection (g) of this section shall be deemed disapproved.
(e) The Commissioner of Administrative Services and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall cooperate with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to insure that the State Personnel Act and personnel regulations are administered, and that the process of collective bargaining is conducted by all parties in a manner consistent with the affirmative action responsibilities of the state.
(f) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall monitor the activity of such plans within each state agency, department, board and commission and report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before April first of each year concerning the results of such plans.
(g) The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the requirements of this section. The executive director shall establish a schedule for semiannual, annual and biennial filing of plans.
(P.A. 75-536, S. 1–3; P.A. 77-614, S. 66, 610; P.A. 79-255; P.A. 80-422, S. 16; P.A. 83-569, S. 12, 17; P.A. 84-41, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-255; P.A. 90-246, S. 7; P.A. 99-233, S. 6, 7; P.A. 01-53, S. 1, 2; P.A. 03-151, S. 1; P.A. 05-287, S. 54; P.A. 07-181, S. 1; P.A. 09-87, S. 1; P.A. 11-51, S. 73; 11-61, S. 113; P.A. 13-247, S. 24; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 162; P.A. 19-16, S. 5; 19-117, S. 134; P.A. 21-109, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced department of personnel and administration, i.e. personnel department, with department of administrative services in Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-255 replaced department of administrative services with commission on human rights and opportunities, added exception re annual filing and required approval of plan within 75 rather than 60 days in Subsec. (b) and added Subsec. (d) re adoption of regulations; P.A. 80-422 updated section listing in Subsec. (a), designated provision re deadline for approval as Subsec. (c), deleted provisions re proceedings upon commission's issuance of complaint for failure to submit plan or submission of plan which violates laws and redesignated former Subsecs. (c) and (d) accordingly; Sec. 4-61s transferred to Sec. 46a-68 in 1981; P.A. 83-569 amended section to require designation of full or part-time affirmative action officers trained by commission, to eliminate specified filing dates for plans, to require formal approval or disapproval of plans within 75 days and to require the commissioner of administrative services and the secretary of the office of policy and management to cooperate with the commission to insure that state personnel act and regulations and the collective bargaining process are administered and conducted in a manner consistent with the affirmative action responsibilities of the state; P.A. 84-41 amended Subsec. (d) increasing length of time for commission to review plans from 75 to 90 days and providing if commissioners, by a majority of those “present and voting”, fail to approve or disapprove plan, the plan shall be deemed approved; P.A. 87-255 added provisions in Subsec. (a) re direct responsibility for development, filing and implementation of affirmative action plan and added provisions in Subsec. (b) re direct responsibility for supervision of affirmative action officer; P.A. 90-246 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Sec. 46a-64c; P.A. 99-233 amended Subsec. (d) to provide for conditional approval of plans, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 01-53 amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision re biennial filing of affirmative action plans by state agency or department with twenty or fewer full-time employees and amended Subsec. (g) by adding reference to biennial filing of plans; P.A. 03-151 amended Subsec. (b) by dividing existing provisions into Subdivs. (1) and (2) and adding new Subdivs. (3) to (5), inclusive, requiring CHRO and PCSW to annually provide at least 10 hours of discrimination training to affirmative action officers and other persons designated to represent state agencies, boards, departments and commissions before the EEOC or CHRO, and specifying duties, responsibilities and proscriptions for affirmative action officers; P.A. 05-287 amended Subsec. (b)(3) to apply 10-hour training requirement to first year of service only and to require a minimum of 5 hours of training per year thereafter; P.A. 07-181 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing Subparas. in Subdiv. (4) as clauses within Subpara. (A) and adding new Subpara. (B) requiring that discrimination complaints by or against executive heads of state agencies or departments, members of state boards or commissions or affirmative action officers be referred to Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and may be investigated by Department of Administrative Services, that discrimination complaints by or against executive head, member or affirmative action officer of Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities be referred to Department of Administrative Services, that discrimination complaints by or against executive head or affirmative action officer of Department of Administrative Services be referred to Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, by replacing existing Subdiv. (5) with new Subdiv. (5) requiring that affirmative action officers of state agencies, departments, boards or commissions and persons designated by Attorney General to represent agencies pursuant to new Subdiv. (6) complete training specified in Subdiv. (3), and by adding new Subdiv. (6) prohibiting affirmative action officers from representing agencies, departments, boards or commissions before Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and requiring Attorney General or designee to make such representations, effective July 5, 2007; P.A. 09-87 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re Metropolitan District of Hartford County deemed a state agency for purposes of section and amended Subsec. (b)(6) by adding provision prohibiting Attorney General from representing district re discrimination complaints filed against it; P.A. 11-51 changed “affirmative action officer” to “equal employment officer”, amended Subsec. (a) to limit filing of affirmative action plans to state agencies with 25 or more full-time employees, amended Subsec. (b) to decrease number of hours of initial training from 10 to 5 hours and for subsequent training from 5 to 3 hours every 2 years, instead of every year, in Subdiv. (3), and to exempt complaints filed with either of the commissions from investigation by the agency or Department of Administrative Services in Subdiv. (4), amended Subsec. (c) to add threshold of 250 employees for semiannual filing of plan, to change reference to 20 or fewer to “twenty-five or more employees but fewer than two hundred fifty” and to add provisions re resubmission of disapproved plans and re electronic filing, amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re disapproval of plans filed late and to make a technical change, and amended Subsec. (g) to require executive director, rather than regulations, to establish filing schedule, effective June 30, 2011; P.A. 11-61 amended Subsec. (c) to add “if practicable” re filing plans electronically, effective June 21, 2011; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re Metropolitan District of Hartford County to be deemed a state agency for purposes of Secs. 4a-60, 4a-60a and 4a-60g, effective July 1, 2013; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsec. (b)(3) and (5) by replacing “Permanent Commission on the Status of Women” with “Commission on Women, Children and Seniors”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 19-16 amended Subsec. (b)(4)(A) by adding provision re witness statements or documents received or compiled by an equal employment opportunity officer in the course of an investigation of discriminatory conduct not to be disclosed; P.A. 19-117 amended Subsecs. (b)(3) and (5) by replacing “Commission on Women, Children and Seniors” with “Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity”, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 21-109 amended Subsec. (b)(4)(A) by adding provision re state agency, department, board or commission reliance on commission investigation and duty to mitigate discriminatory conduct and take corrective action.