How do i file a discrimination complaint against my employer

1. Labor Commissioner's Office

Employees, former employees, or job applicants who have suffered retaliation or discrimination may file a retaliation complaint. The Labor Commissioner’s Office maintains a listing of California laws that specifically prohibits retaliation, discrimination, and pay inequity.

Workplace discrimination complaints based on race, color, ancestry, religion, age (40 and over), disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, marital status, military and veteran status, or national origin (including language restrictions), should be filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

If you have been retaliated against because of a workplace health or safety complaint, you have additional ways to file you your complaint.

Who can file a complaint

You have the right to speak to representatives of the California Labor Commissioner’s Office or any other government or law enforcement agency about any issues affecting your working conditions in California.

Make sure you file timely

Important: Effective September 30, 2021, Executive Order N-08-21, Section 24(f) ends the temporary suspension of deadlines to file complaints with the Labor Commissioner due to the COVID-19 pandemic and such deadlines will once again be in effect in their entirety.

Complaints must be filed within one year of the retaliatory act, except for the following instances:

• Whistleblowers retaliated against for raising child day care licensing violation complaints – 90 days
• Equal Pay Act violations – within two years (three years if willful) of the violation

You may be able to file a private lawsuit instead of filing a complaint if the deadline is missed. You should consult with an attorney.

In California, all workers are protected by labor laws. The Labor Commissioner's Office will not question employees’ immigration status nor report it to other government agencies. There is no need for a Social Security number or photo identification to file a complaint of retaliation, discrimination, or Equal Pay Act violation.

Other Resources

• Instructions and guide for filing an Equal Pay Act complaint
• Equal pay cases handout
• Rights of Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking
• DIR Privacy Policy

August 2021

How to File a Discrimination Complaint

Connecticut law prohibits illegal discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit transactions. To understand what illegal discrimination is, go to the Who's Protected page. If you believe you have experienced illegal discrimination, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities will investigate your allegation without cost to you. 

Complaints must generally be filed within 300 days of the date of the alleged act of discrimination in the areas of employment, credit transactions, and places of public accommodations made against state agencies. Complaints must be in writing and under oath. Your reasonably written complaint must be filed in a Commission office and entered into the Commission records before the 300-day time frame expires. Complaints of discrimination in housing or in places of public accommodations other than those involving a state agency must be filed within 180 days of the date of the alleged act of discrimination.

A person wishing to file a complaint should contact an intake officer at one of the Commission’s regional offices. The intake worker will discuss your concerns, explain our complaint process and advise you about what help CHRO may be able to provide to you. If a complaint can be taken, you will be given an appointment to come to a regional office to file a complaint.

If you are interested in filing an employment, public accommodation, or credit transaction discrimination complaint, go to the contacting us page now to find the town in which the alleged discriminatory act took place and the phone number of the Regional Office that serves that town.

Housing Complaints Only

If you are interested in filing a housing complaint, contact the Commission’s Housing Discrimination Unit located at the Commission’s administrative offices at 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103, (860) 541-3403. More about filing a housing complaint. For general information on housing discrimination and your rights to fair housing, go to the housing index page.

Whistleblower Retaliation Complaints

If you are an employee of a state agency, a quasi-public agency, or a large state contractor, and if you are interested in filing a whistleblower retaliation complaint, contact the Commission's Office of Public Hearing at the Commission's administrative offices at 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT  06103, (860) 418-8770.  More about filing a whilstleblower retaliation complaint.

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