2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 46a - Human Rights
Chapter 814c - Human Rights and Opportunities
Section 46a-80 - (Formerly Sec. 4-61o). Denial of employment based on prior conviction of crime. Inquiry re prospective employee’s past convictions. Dissemination of arrest record prohibited.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, subsection (b) of section 46a-81 and section 36a-489, and notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, a person shall not be disqualified from employment by the state or any of its agencies, nor shall a person be disqualified to practice, pursue or engage in any occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business for which a license, permit, certificate or registration is required to be issued by the state or any of its agencies solely because of a prior conviction of a crime.

(b) Except for a position for which any provision of the general statutes specifically disqualifies a person from employment by the state or any of its agencies because of a prior conviction of a crime, no employer, as defined in section 5-270, shall inquire about a prospective employee’s past convictions until such prospective employee has been deemed otherwise qualified for the position.

(c) A person may be denied employment by the state or any of its agencies, or a person may be denied a license, permit, certificate or registration to pursue, practice or engage in an occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business by reason of the prior conviction of a crime if after considering (1) the nature of the crime and its relationship to the job for which the person has applied; (2) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the convicted person; and (3) the time elapsed since the conviction or release, the state, or any of its agencies determines that the applicant is not suitable for the position of employment sought or the specific occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business for which the license, permit, certificate or registration is sought.

(d) If a conviction of a crime is used as a basis for rejection of an applicant, such rejection shall be in writing and specifically state the evidence presented and reasons for rejection. A copy of such rejection shall be sent by registered mail to the applicant.

(e) In no case may records of arrest, which are not followed by a conviction, or records of convictions, which have been erased, be used, distributed or disseminated by the state or any of its agencies in connection with an application for employment or for a permit, license, certificate or registration.

(P.A. 73-347, S. 3, 7; P.A. 80-422, S. 28; P.A. 09-209, S. 24; P.A. 10-142, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 80-422 rephrased provisions and rearranged Subsecs.; Sec. 4-61o transferred to Sec. 46a-80 in 1981; P.A. 09-209 amended Subsec. (a) by adding exception for Sec. 36a-489; P.A. 10-142 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), added new Subsec. (b) prohibiting inquiry about prospective employee’s past convictions until employee is deemed qualified for position unless statutes specifically disqualify persons with criminal convictions and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) to (d) as Subsecs. (c) to (e).