Connecticut General Statutes 31-76 – Discrimination in compensation on the basis of sex. Enforcement by commissioner. Civil action. When discrimination in compensation occurs. Limitation of action
(a) The Labor Commissioner shall carry out the provisions of § 31-75 either upon complaint or upon the commissioner’s own motion. For this purpose, the commissioner, or the commissioner’s authorized representative, may enter places of employment, inspect payrolls, investigate work and operations on which employees are engaged, question employees and take such action as is reasonably necessary to determine compliance with § 31-75. At the request of any employee who has received less than the wage to which the employee is entitled under § 31-75, the commissioner may take an assignment of such wage claim in trust and may bring any legal action necessary to collect such claim. In any action brought by the commissioner, the employer who violates the provisions of § 31-75 may be found liable to the employee or the employees affected for the difference between the amount of wages paid and the maximum wage paid any other employee for equal work, compensatory damages and, if the violation is found to be intentional or committed with reckless indifference to the employee’s or employees’ rights under § 31-75, punitive damages. Any agreement to work for less than the wage to which such employee is entitled under § 31-75 shall not be a defense to such action.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 31-76
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
(b) Unless and except to the extent that a wage claim has been assigned to the commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, an action to redress a violation of § 31-75 may be maintained in any court of competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees. Any agreement to work for less than the wage to which such employee is entitled under § 31-75 shall not be a defense to such action. An employer who violates § 31-75 may be found liable for the difference between the amount of wages paid and the maximum wage paid any other employee for equal work, compensatory damages, attorney’s fees and costs, punitive damages if the violation is found to be intentional or committed with reckless indifference to the employee’s or employees’ rights under § 31-75 and such legal and equitable relief as the court deems just and proper.
(c) For purposes of this section, discrimination in compensation under § 31-75 occurs when a discriminatory compensation decision or practice is adopted, when an individual is subject to a discriminatory compensation decision or practice, or when an individual is affected by application of a discriminatory compensation decision or practice, and shall be deemed to be a continuing violation each time wages, benefits or other compensation is paid, resulting in whole or in part from such a decision or practice.
(d) No action shall be brought or any prosecution instituted for any violation of § 31-75 except within two years after such violation or any act described in subsection (c) of this section, or within three years if such violation is intentional or committed with reckless indifference.