Discrimination Attorney in Connecticut

19 Years of Employee-Only Representation. We’ve Never Taken an Employer-Side Case.

Connecticut employees facing workplace discrimination need an attorney whose entire practice is built around their side of the table. At The McMinn Employment Law Firm, LLC, we represent employees only. Attorney Michael McMinn has spent over 19 years focused exclusively on employment law, litigating discrimination cases against Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, and state agencies throughout the state. That singular focus has produced results, including a half-million-dollar settlement in a discrimination and whistleblower case, and a litigation record that workers in Fairfield, Hartford, and New Haven Counties can rely on.

Attorney McMinn was named a Connecticut Super Lawyers top-rated Employment Litigation attorney for 2024 and 2025, a designation limited to up to 5% of attorneys in any given state. We offer free initial consultations, serve clients in English and Spanish, and have never represented an employer.

Workplace Discrimination Under Connecticut & Federal Law

Discrimination occurs when an employer takes an adverse employment action against an employee because of a protected characteristic. That adverse action can take many forms: a refusal to hire, a demotion, a pay cut, a hostile work environment, or wrongful termination. Both Connecticut and federal law prohibit this conduct, and the two frameworks protect overlapping but distinct groups of employees.

Connecticut’s Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA) covers employers with three or more employees and prohibits discrimination based on a broader set of characteristics than federal law alone. Federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to private employers with 20 or more employees.

Protected characteristics under Connecticut and federal law include:

Discrimination can enter the employment relationship at any stage: hiring, compensation, day-to-day working conditions, or termination. Connecticut law also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for disabilities and qualifying religious practices, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

Recognizing Discrimination: Overt, Subtle, & Statistical

Many employees assume discrimination must be explicit to be actionable. It doesn’t. Overt statements of bias are one form of evidence, but courts recognize that modern discrimination is frequently subtle, and employers rarely document discriminatory intent. A viable case is often built entirely from circumstantial evidence.

Patterns that can indicate unlawful discrimination include:

• Management or recently hired cohorts that share the same age, race, or gender to a statistically unusual degree
• Performance reviews or discipline that began immediately after an employee disclosed a protected characteristic, such as a pregnancy or disability
• Different standards applied to employees in different protected classes for the same conduct
• Written or verbal statements that reflect assumptions tied to a protected trait

If you suspect discrimination, preserve everything as early as possible: performance reviews, written warnings, internal emails, and any records showing how similarly situated coworkers outside your protected class were treated. The earlier documentation begins, the stronger the foundation for a claim.

Filing a Discrimination Claim in Connecticut: the CHRO Process

Before a discrimination claim can reach a courtroom, Connecticut employees must go through the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), the state agency responsible for enforcing the CFEPA. Understanding how this process works, and what can derail it, matters.

The formal complaint must be filed with the CHRO within 300 days of the alleged discriminatory act. Missing this window may permanently bar a claim. It’s also important to understand that contacting the CHRO by phone, completing an online inquiry form, or attending an intake meeting does not constitute formal filing. The written complaint must be submitted and accepted.

The CHRO has a work-sharing agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Requesting a cross-filing when submitting to the CHRO satisfies both the state and federal administrative filing requirements simultaneously, without a separate EEOC submission.

After a complaint has been pending for 180 days, you may request a Release of Jurisdiction from the CHRO, which opens the door to pursuing the matter in Connecticut Superior Court or federal district court. Retaliation against an employee for filing a complaint or opposing discrimination is independently illegal under both state and federal law and may give rise to a separate claim. Contact us to discuss the timeline that applies to your situation.

Why Connecticut Employees Choose The McMinn Employment Law Firm, LLC

Attorney McMinn has handled thousands of employment cases throughout Connecticut, with a litigation record spanning Fortune 500 defendants, municipal employers, and state agencies. The firm has recovered over $1 million for clients, including a recent half-million-dollar settlement in a discrimination and whistleblower matter.

Attorney McMinn holds the America’s Top 100 Attorneys Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition limited to fewer than 0.5% of attorneys in the United States. The firm also received the “10 Best” Labor and Employment Law Firm Award for Client Satisfaction from the American Institute of Legal Counsel for 2019 through 2021. Because we represent employees only, there is no conflict of interest and no divided focus. We serve English-speaking and Spanish-speaking clients across Connecticut, and we offer free initial consultations so you can understand your options before making any financial commitment.