Substitute Senate Bill No. 4 with File No. 522 proposes amendments to current laws concerning domestic violence, the transmission of intimate images, and employment discrimination. The bill expands a grant program for legal assistance to indigent individuals seeking restraining orders, now including Danbury, Middlesex, and Litchfield districts, with grants up to $400,000 for the district with the highest average number of restraining order applications. It also introduces a civil cause of action for the non-consensual electronic transmission of intimate images, with damages set at actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, and the possibility of punitive damages and injunctions. The bill revises employment discrimination laws, outlining protections for pregnant employees, prohibiting harassment, and requiring employers to inform employees of workplace hazards affecting reproductive health. It also prohibits employers from requesting genetic information or discriminating based on age, and provides leave for employees affected by domestic violence.

The bill further addresses nondisclosure and nondisparagement agreements in the workplace, making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees or independent contractors who disclose or disparage discriminatory practices. It voids any agreement provisions that prohibit such disclosures or disparagement, with employers who violate this provision liable for actual damages or statutory damages of $10,000, whichever is greater. The bill prohibits nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses in employment contracts, with relevant terms defined, and makes provisions preventing the discussion of legally impermissible conduct void and unenforceable. Employers are also prohibited from retaliating against employees or volunteers for discussing such conduct, with violations resulting in actual or statutory damages of $10,000 or more. The bill is intended to be liberally construed to fulfill its remedial purpose, and the remedies provided are cumulative. The effective dates for the various sections range from July 1, 2024, to October 1, 2024, and the bill includes a fiscal note indicating an annual cost of up to $630,000 to the Judicial Department due to the grant program expansion.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill:
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 522: