The Office of Public Hearings (OPH) holds fair and independent public hearings on whistleblower retaliation cases, as well as discrimination cases that have gone through CHRO's investigation process.
OPH is made up of Human Rights Referees, who serve as administrative law judges, appointed by the Governor and approved by the legislature. OPH works separately and independently from the rest of CHRO. This helps to ensure that we handle cases fairly.
We provide steps and resources to help you take part in public hearings. Use the links below to submit forms and find answers to common questions.
Connecticut state law protects whistleblowers from retaliation by state agencies, quasi‑public agencies, and large state contractors. These protections let people report serious issues safely. They won’t face negative consequences for speaking up.
These protections apply when someone reports:
Whistleblower retaliation complaints must be filed with OPH within 90 days of the retaliatory action.
As part of OPH's contested case process, parties meet with a settlement attorney to seek a resolution to the complaint before the case proceeds to discovery and public hearing. Attorneys can volunteer to serve as settlement attorneys to assist OPH in resolving cases quickly and efficiently.
Interested attorneys can get in contact with OPH at officeofpublichearings@ct.gov
If the CHRO has referred your discrimination case to OPH, or if you have a whistleblower retaliation complaint, you can contact us using the information below. Please include the assigned case number. Failure to do so may result in delays.
Email: officeofpublichearings@ct.gov
Mail: CHRO Office of Public Hearings 450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2 Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: 860‑418‑8770
Fax: 860‑418‑8780
