2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 31 - Labor
Chapter 556 - Labor Department
Section 31-2 - Powers and duties of commissioner.

(a) The Labor Commissioner shall collect information upon the subject of labor, its relation to capital, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring men and women and the means of promoting their material, social, intellectual and moral prosperity, and shall have power to summon and examine under oath such witnesses, and may direct the production of, and examine or cause to be produced and examined, such books, records, vouchers, memoranda, documents, letters, contracts or other papers in relation thereto as he deems necessary, and shall have the same powers in relation thereto as are vested in magistrates in taking depositions, but for this purpose persons shall not be required to leave the vicinity of their residences or places of business. Said commissioner shall collect and collate population and employment data to project who is working, who is not working and who will be entering the job market and shall provide an analysis of data concerning present job requirements and potential needs of new industry. The commissioner shall include in his annual report to the Governor, as provided in section 4-60, all the aforesaid statistical details.

(b) The commissioner shall administer the coordination of all employment and training programs in the state and shall implement the plan of the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission as approved by the Governor. The commissioner shall develop and maintain a comprehensive inventory of all employment and training programs in the state, including a listing of all funding sources for each program, the characteristics of the persons served, a description of each program and its results and the identification of areas of program overlap and duplication.

(c) The commissioner shall provide staff to the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission and such other resources as the commissioner can make available.

(d) The commissioner may request the Attorney General to bring an action in Superior Court for injunctive relief requiring compliance with any statute, regulation, order or permit administered, adopted or issued by the commissioner.

(1949 Rev., S. 3776; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; P.A. 73-164, S. 1, 5; P.A. 76-209, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 479, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 122, 136; P.A. 89-292, S. 3, 6; P.A. 92-210, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 73-164 deleted provisions concerning bureau of labor statistics, substituted reference to “the general powers conferred upon the office of the labor commissioner under the general statutes or in accordance with federal law” for detailed listing of specific powers and made other language changes; P.A. 76-209 restored provisions re bureau of labor statistics and re specific powers of commissioner, specified that persons need not leave “the vicinity of their residences or places of business” to give depositions and made minor language changes; P.A. 77-614 deleted provisions re bureau of labor statistics and re appointment of deputy commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-303 required commission to collect and collate population and employment data, to make projections re employment and to analyze data concerning present job requirements and potential needs of new industry; P.A. 89-292 added Subsecs. (b) and (c) concerning the commissioner’s responsibilities for employment and training programs; P.A. 92-210 added Subsec. (d) authorizing the commissioner to request the attorney general to bring an action in superior court.

See Secs. 22-13 to 22-17, inclusive, re duties relative to the employment of minors in agriculture.