Sec. 31-76. Enforcement. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 31-76. Enforcement. The Labor Commissioner shall carry out the provisions of section 31-75 either upon complaint or upon his own motion. For this purpose, the commissioner, or his authorized representative, may enter places of employment, inspect payrolls, investigate work and operations on which employees are engaged, question employees and take such action as is reasonably necessary to determine compliance with section 31-75. Any employer who violates the provisions of section 31-75 shall be liable to the employee or the employees affected for the difference between the amount of wages paid and the maximum wage paid any other employee for equal work. Action to recover such difference may be maintained in any court of competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees. Any agreement to work for less than the wage to which such employee is entitled under section 31-75 shall not be a defense to such action. At the request of any employee who has received less than the wage to which he is entitled under section 31-75, the commissioner may take an assignment of such wage claim in trust and may bring any legal action necessary to collect such claim. If judgment is rendered against an employer in any civil action brought to collect wages under the provisions of this section, the employer shall be required to pay the taxable costs and such reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court. No action shall be brought or any prosecution instituted for any violation of section 31-75 unless within one year after the commission of the act complained of. Any person who violates section 31-75 or any employer who discriminates in any manner against any employee because such employee has filed a complaint or taken any other action as herein provided shall, upon conviction, be fined for each violation not more than two hundred dollars.

      (1953, S. 3017d; P.A. 97-263, S. 20.)

      History: P.A. 97-263 increased amount of fine from $100 to $200.

      See Sec. 31-22 re commissioner's duties re enforcement of regulations and reporting of violations.

      Cited. 165 C. 318.