Overview

The overall functions of the Commission on Equal Opportunities, as set forth in the New Haven Code of Ordinances and its amendments, are as follows:

• To promote mutual understanding and respect among, and encourage equality of opportunity, for all the people of New Haven without regard for their race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, familial status, and physical disability.
• To conduct programs of education, research, investigation, and action for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Ordinance.
• To work with governmental and private organizations and groups for the purpose of achieving harmonious inter-group relations in the community. To develop and establish positive programs which will help all members of the community enjoy equality in all phases of community life.
• To supplement, through official local action, the implementation in New Haven of the state statutes prohibiting discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and housing, and to process complaints of discrimination involving alleged violations of these laws.

Additional Details

Established in 1964 by City Ordinance Chapter 12 ½, The Commission on Equal Opportunities of the City of New Haven is a semi-autonomous civil rights agency charged to take "...official local action...to promote and assure equality of opportunity for all residents of the city," and to "...repair the consequences of past denials of equal opportunities, and to prevent such denials in the future..."

The Commission "repair[s]" and "prevent[s]...denials of equal opportunities" in part via its power to investigate discrimination complaints in employment, public accommodations, housing and credit. If it finds reasonable cause that discrimination has occurred, it can mediate between the contesting parties or issue appropriate orders for redress and award punitive and compensatory damages.

Similarly, the Commission "promote[s] and assure[s] equality of opportunity..." for individuals as it monitors and enforces compliance by city agencies, contractors and vendors with the City's equal employment/affirmative action policies and goals and the Living Wage ordinance. It is mandated to do the same for related state and federal laws, including enforcing their respective prevailing wage requirements.

The ordinance and related state and federal laws and policies mandate a Commission focus on city-related construction projects, which have specific minority and female employment and training goals that contractors must "exert maximum effort" to meet.

The Board of Commissioners meets monthly. Its agenda can include, but is not limited, to the following:

• Recommend or adopt policies to further its mission
• Find for or against discrimination claims
• Determine appropriate penalties for violations of the ordinance

Commissioners are appointed to terms from one to three years. The Mayor appoints eight Commissioners and the Chairman. The Board of Alderman appoints one of its members to the Board of Commissioners. The Board selects its Executive Director, who is responsible for the administrative functions of the Board of Commissioners as well as staff.