Two bills were introduced in the Connecticut legislature last week that would ban discrimination against individuals who are unemployed. Section 8 of Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 79 are identical in their provisions.  They would apply to nearly all employers in the state.   

The proposals would amend Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46a-60(a)(6) to prohibit an employer, “except in the case of a bona fide occupational qualification or need, to advertise employment opportunities in such a manner as to restrict such employment so as to discriminate against any individual because… the individual is unemployed.”

The proposals would also add a new provision, Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46a-60(a)(12) by making it a discriminatory practice:

(A) For any person or employer to refuse to consider for employment or refuse to offer employment to an individual on the basis that such individual is unemployed, except where such individual’s employment in a similar or related job, for a period of time reasonably proximate to the hiring of such individual, is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to successful performance of the job that is being filled, or (B) for any employment agency to refuse to consider or refer an individual for employment on the basis that such individual is unemployed, except where such individual’s employment in a similar or related job, for a period of time reasonably proximate to the hiring of such individual, is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to successful performance of the job that is being filled.

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