“Ageism is a variation of racism or sexism, all the other isms.” – Hugh Hefner
Starting October 1, 2021, a new law in Connecticut “AN ACT DETERRING AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS” (S.B. 56 / PA 21-69) will prohibit Connecticut employers with three or more employees from requesting or requiring certain information on the initial employment application. This new law will hopefully deter age discrimination in Connecticut workplaces.
Under S.B. 56 / PA 21-69, employers (directly or via third-party) are prohibited from requesting or requiring the following information on an initial employment application.
- Age
- Date of Birth
- Dates of Attendance From Current/Previous Education Institution
- Date of Graduation From Education Institution
The exceptions to S.B. 56 / PA 21-69 are as follows:
- The employer request is based on a bona fide occupational qualification or need.
- The employer is required to comply with any provision of state or federal law.
Connecticut employers should do the following prior to October 1, 2021.
- Check with legal counsel to verify if the company has any bona fide occupational qualifications or the need to comply with state and federal laws. Ex: You must be 18 to serve alcohol in a restaurant or work as a bartender or in a package store.
- In the event there are no allowable exceptions, you will want to edit and review your application forms to confirm you are not requesting or requiring applicants to fill out any of the prohibited information in S.B. 56 / PA 21-69.
- Information can still be collected after the initial employment application is supplied.
- Clients of Research Services 4 Brothers LLC who do not meet any of the exceptions should separate their application forms from the background check forms to comply with the new law.
“The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities shall develop courses of instruction and conduct ongoing public education efforts as necessary to inform employers, employees, employment agencies and persons seeking employment about their rights and responsibilities”. (S.B. 56 / PA 21-69, S: (12)(d)(2))