What Retaliation and Termination Complaints Cover
Termination cases fall into three categories in Connecticut. First, wrongful termination in violation of public policy: under Sheets v. Teddy's Frosted Foods, Inc., 179 Conn. 471 (1980), an at-will employee may bring a common-law claim when the firing contravenes a clearly established public policy, such as termination for filing a workers' compensation claim, serving on a jury, or refusing to commit an illegal act. Second, statutory retaliation claims under the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, CGS § 46a-60, and federal law, including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, and OSHA's anti-retaliation provisions. Third, whistleblower protection under CGS § 31-51m, which protects employees who report violations of law, refuse to participate in illegal conduct, or testify before public bodies.
Retaliation requires protected activity, an adverse employment action, and a causal connection. Protected activity includes opposing discrimination or harassment, requesting a disability or religious accommodation, filing a CHRO or EEOC charge, participating in an investigation, or reporting suspected legal violations. Adverse actions range from termination and demotion to less obvious conduct such as reduced hours, unwarranted discipline, exclusion, or heightened scrutiny. The timeline matters: a termination or adverse action that follows too closely after protected activity can give rise to an inference of retaliation, but proximity alone is not enough.
These claims are often the most litigated aspect of an employment dispute. Employers frequently have a legitimate, non-retaliatory reason for the separation—restructuring, performance, misconduct, or elimination of the position. The employee's task is to show that reason is pretextual. Pretext can be established through shifting explanations, selective enforcement, suspicious timing, or evidence that the decisionmaker was aware of the protected activity and acted because of it.
Filing Deadline: 300 Days
CFEPA retaliation claims must be filed with the CHRO within 300 days of the adverse act under CGS § 46a-82. Missing that deadline forecloses otherwise viable claims.
For Employers
A retaliation or termination complaint often starts with a documented decision that made sense internally but looks different in litigation. I help employers review the decision record before a complaint is filed, identify exposure, and prepare a position statement or defense that is grounded in contemporaneous documentation. The strongest employer defenses are built on clear, consistent reasons communicated at the time of the decision, supported by policies, performance records, witness statements, and a neutral decisionmaker.
I also advise on separation practices, release drafting, and avoiding waiver problems. A release is not a substitute for a defensible termination, and a poorly drafted release can be challenged. My focus is on resolving the dispute at the agency stage when possible and moving for dismissal or summary judgment when the record supports it.
For Employees
If you were fired, demoted, or otherwise penalized after complaining about discrimination, harassment, wage violations, unsafe conditions, or illegal conduct, the facts and the timeline are the foundation of your case. I evaluate the protected activity, the adverse action, and the employer's stated reason to determine whether a retaliation or wrongful termination claim is viable.
Connecticut employees may have claims under CFEPA, Title VII, CGS § 31-51m, and the common law. Each has different procedural requirements, damages, and deadlines. The CHRO filing deadline is 300 days from the adverse act. Waiting limits your options. I file CHRO complaints, negotiate resolutions, and pursue litigation when the employer's explanation does not hold up.