Employees Have 180 Days After Termination to File Connecticut Discrimination Charges

The Appellate Court of Connecticut recently ruled that employees have 180 days from their date of termination to file charges of discrimination under the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (“CFEPA”). Vollemans v. Town of Wallingford, 103 Conn. App. 188 (2007). This contrasts with federal law, which begins the 180 day filing period for Title VII claims on the date the termination decision is unequivocally communicated to the employee. The court based its decision on CFEPA’s broad remedial purpose, which favors litigation of potentially meritorious cases as opposed to their dismissal for untimeliness. Further, the court noted that the actual termination date provides a brighter line for measuring the filing period than an often disputed date of unequivocal communication. Given this decision, employers must monitor any potential litigation under both statutes of limitation.