AN ACT CONCERNING FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYMENT.

OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS

Legislative Office Building, Room 5200

Hartford, CT 06106 ↓ (860) 240-0200

http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa

sHB-5237

AN ACT CONCERNING FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYMENT.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Agency Affected	Fund-Effect	FY 17 $	FY 18 $
Labor Dept.	GF - Cost	47,457	94,913
State Comptroller - Fringe Benefits¹	GF - Cost	18,954	37,908
Various State Agencies	All Funds - Cost	Potential Minimal	Potential Minimal

Note: All Funds=All Funds; GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact:

Municipalities	Effect	FY 17 $	FY 18 $
Various Municipalities	Cost	Potential Minimal	Potential Minimal

Explanation

The bill provides employment protections for certain employees and job applicants with criminal conviction records. This results in: (1) a General Fund cost of $66,411 in FY 17 (partial year) and $132,821 in FY 18, and (2) a potential minimal cost to various state agencies and municipalities.

The bill prohibits criminal history questions in the job application process and requires private employers to follow the same rules as public employers when asking about criminal history. Employers can ask these questions after a conditional offer of employment is made. There may be a minimal printing cost to those agencies that would have to alter their job applications to adhere to the terms of the bill.

The bill allows aggrieved employees and applicants to file a complaint with the labor commissioner, who must investigate the complaint and may hold a hearing. Based on the number of complaints for a similar provision for state employees heard annually by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, it is anticipated that the number of investigations and hearings will require additional resources within the Department of Labor (DOL). Specifically, the DOL would require one part-time Wage Enforcement Agent ($41,875 for salary and $16,275 for fringe costs) and one part-time Staff Attorney ($53,038 for salary and $21,183 for fringe costs) to investigate, hold hearings, render decisions and write reports.

There is no impact to the Judicial Department from allowing appeals in Superior Court. The number of appeals is not anticipated to be great enough to need additional resources. The court system disposes of over 500,000 cases annually.

The Out Years

The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

¹The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost associated with most personnel changes is 39.94% of payroll in FY 17 and FY 18.