Contact:
200 Folly Brook Boulevard
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-263-6505
860-263-6529 fax
Web Site: www.ctdol.state.ct.us

Information about State Department of Labor resources may be of interest to:
• potential employers looking for incentives to hire individuals with criminal histories;
• service providers and individuals with criminal histories who are looking for assistance in finding employment; and
• researchers and policy makers looking at current programs to ascertain what programs are effective and serve their intended purpose.

A. Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonding insurance coverage to individuals with criminal histories and other high-risk job applicants who are qualified, but fail to get jobs because regular commercial bonding is denied due to their backgrounds.

Contact:
Operational support Unit
Connecticut Department of Labor
200 Folly Brook Boulevard
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-263-6735
860-263-6039 fax
Web Site: www.ctdol.state.ct.us/busservices/Bonding.htm

B. Tax Credits
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit to reduce the federal tax liability of private for profit employers to be used as an incentive for employers to hire individuals from eight different targeted groups: TANF recipients, veterans, ex-felons, high risk youth, summer youth, Food Stamp recipients, SSI recipients, and vocational rehabilitation referrals.

Contact:
Connecticut Department of Labor
Program Support Unit
200 Folly Brook Boulevard
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-263-6060
Web Site: www.ctdol.state.ct.us/progsupt/taxcredits/wotc.htm

C. Unemployment Insurance Office
Unemployment compensation is a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to most individuals out of work, generally through no fault of their own, for periods between jobs. In order to be eligible for benefits, jobless workers must demonstrate that they have worked, usually measured by amount of wages and/or weeks of work, and must be able and available for work.

The unemployment compensation program is based upon federal law, but administered by states under state law.

Forms and information may be obtained at any local One Stop Center and via the internet at the web site listed below. (See also Section VII of this site "Local Service Providers.")

Contact:
Connecticut Department of Labor
200 Folly Brook Boulevard
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-263-6785
Web Site: www.ctdol.state.ct.us/

II. Criminal Record Repository
This is the agency individuals may contact to obtain a copy of their state rap sheet. The criminal record repository can also tell the individual who else is legally entitled to have access to his or her record.

All requests for criminal history information must be made in writing with a $25 check or money order and Form DPS-846-C which can be downloaded from www.state.ct.us/dps/SPBI.htm.

Contact:
State of Connecticut
Department of Public Safety
State Police Bureau of Identification
1111 County Club Road
P.O. Box 2794
Middletown, CT 06457-9294
1-860-685-8480
Web Site: www.state.ct.us/dps/SPBI.htm

III. State Attorney General
Employers and service providers may obtain information from the state attorney general regarding occupational bars, the licensing of individuals with criminal records in certain jobs, and whether the state has laws that limit what employers may ask job applicants or protections against employment discrimination based on a criminal record.

Contact:
Connecticut Attorney General's Office
55 Elm Street
P.O. Box 120
Hartford, CT 06106
860-808-5318
860-808-5387 fax
E-Mail: attorney.general@po.state.ct.us
Web Site: www.cslib.org/attygenl/

IV. State Department of Corrections

Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut

Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut (CEC) operates a number of inmate work programs to train inmates with marketable employment skills. Training is available in printing/graphic arts, furniture manufacturing including new metal furniture, office systems, wood refinishing and upholstery, production of dental prosthetics, manufacturing of optical products and data entry/processing. Product sales and services from the CEC are limited to state agencies, towns, municipalities, nonprofit groups, schools, and religious organizations.

Contact:
Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut
24 Wolcott Hill Road
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-263-6839
860-263-6838 fax
Web Site: www.ct.gov/doc/cwp/view.asp?a=1519&Q=265618&docNav=%7C

Staff of this unit are responsible for offenders released into residential programs or to the community under Transitional Supervision. Community Enforcement Officers from locations in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Norwich and Waterbury monitor offenders in the community to ensure that they comply with their conditions of release and to verify employment, program attendance, and curfew stipulations. Annually it contracts with organizations to supply some 750 beds in the community for conditionally released offenders.

Contact:
Community Enforcement Unit
Connecticut Department of Corrections
2 Walker Drive
Enfield, CT 06083
860-763-8020
860-763-8030 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.ct.us/org/FldCE.htm

The Connecticut Department of Corrections provides confinement, supervision, rehabilitation, and reintegration of convicted felons in Connecticut.

Contact:
Public Information Office
Connecticut Department of Corrections
24 Walcott Hill Road
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-692-7780
860-692-7783 fax
E-Mail: DOC.PIO@po.state.ct.us
Web Site: www.doc.state.ct.us

V. Connecticut Board of Parole

Contact:
Connecticut Board of Parole
Central Office
55 West Main Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
203-805-6605
203-805-5562 fax

Contact:
95 Scovill Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
203-805-6683
203-755-4935 fax

Contact:
50 Fitch Street
New Haven, CT 06515
203-389-5390
203-389-5405 fax

Contact:
286 Sheldon Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860-566-3177
860-566-3765 fax

Contact:
95 Scovill Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
203-805-6670
203-755-4918 fax

Contact:
52 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
203-382-8471
203-382-8471 fax

VI. Legal Assistance
Free or low-cost legal resources, both in civil and criminal law, are helpful to individuals with criminal histories in learning about relevant state laws governing the expungement or sealing of criminal histories or addressing other legal issues resulting from having a criminal history.

A. State Public Defender

Contact:
Office of the Chief Public Defender
30 Trinity Street, 4th Floor
Hartford, CT 06106
860-509-6400
Web Site: www.ocpd.state.ct.us/

B. Legal Services

The Legal Services Network in Connecticut is a group of nonprofit organizations that provide free legal assistance in civil matters to low-income people. The Network includes four programs: Statewide Legal Services, Connecticut Legal Services, Inc., Greater Hartford Legal Aid, and New Haven Legal Assistance Association. Statewide Legal Services accepts phone calls between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Contact:
Statewide Legal Services
425 Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
800-453-3320; 860-344-0380 (Middletown and Hartford)
Web Site: www.slsct.org

The Legal Services Network in Connecticut is a group of nonprofit organizations that provide free legal assistance in civil matters to low-income people. The Network includes four programs: Statewide Legal Services, Connecticut Legal Services, Inc., Greater Hartford Legal Aid, and New Haven Legal Assistance Association. Statewide Legal Services accepts phone calls between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Contact:
Statewide Legal Services
425 Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
800-453-3320; 860-344-0380 (Middletown and Hartford)
Web Site: www.slsct.org

Connecticut Legal Services is working on issues around employment and criminal records.

Contact:
Connecticut Legal Services
587 Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
860-225-8678

Connecticut Legal Services is working on issues around employment and criminal records.

Contact:
Connecticut Legal Services
587 Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
860-225-8678

Advocates from Greater Hartford Legal Aid are working on issues regarding legal and policy barriers to ex-offender employment.

Contact:
Greater Hartford Legal Aid
999 Asylum Avenue, 3rd Floor
Hartford, CT 06105
860-541-5015

Advocates from Greater Hartford Legal Aid are working on issues regarding legal and policy barriers to ex-offender employment.

Contact:
Greater Hartford Legal Aid
999 Asylum Avenue, 3rd Floor
Hartford, CT 06105
860-541-5015

C. State Bar Association

Contact:
Connecticut Bar Association
30 Bank Street
New Britain, CT 06050
860-223-4400
860-223-4488 fax
Web Site: www.ctbar.org

Contact:
Connecticut Bar Association
30 Bank Street
New Britain, CT 06050
860-223-4400
860-223-4488 fax
Web Site: www.ctbar.org

VII. Local Service Providers
Community agencies are available to assist individuals with criminal records find employment. This information will inform individuals with criminal records about government agencies and community-based organizations that assist with employment, education or vocational training. Researchers and policy makers may find this information useful in identifying agencies and service providers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.

Connecticut Works Centers offer services to job seekers including job searches, job readiness assessments with referrals to appropriate training programs if needed, resume assistance, resource information, counseling, workshops, access to the internet, fax and copy machines, phones, and reference libraries with videos, books and written materials.

Contact:
Web Site: www.ctdol.state.ct.us/

Community Partners in Action-Coalition Employment Services provides assessment of individual's employment strengths and weaknesses, needs, job readiness, interests, and degree of motivation. Staff then supply the resources to help meet their needs and/or interest, and process them for placement into employment and/or educational/vocational training.

Contact:
Coalition Employment Services
9-11 Willis Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860-543-8930

STRIVE provides participants with tools to navigate today's ever changing job market to achieve their best economic and social capabilities. STRIVE's mission is to demonstrate the impact that attitudinal training and post-placement support have on the long-term permanent employment of inner city adults and youth. STRIVE begins preparing participants for the work force through a strict, demanding three week workshop (120 hours) which focuses on the prerequisites for successful entry level employment. A key element of the STRIVE programs are follow ups, in which contact is maintained with clients for two years following their graduation from the basic workshop. STRIVE also helps its graduates with issues that are not job related. The most common issues are continued education, health problems and family matters.

Contact:
STRIVE / Fairfield County Employment Services
4 Taft Street
Norwalk, CT 06854
203-838-1952
203-855-9532 fax

STRIVE/SAND is a three-week, 40 hours/week intensive training program, combining specific instruction on how to find a job, proper work-site behaviors and unspoken rules, introduction to computers, time and financial budgeting, and information on continuing education opportunities while employed, with intense practice with the interviewing process. Once the three weeks training is complete, STRIVE/SAND continues to work with the participant in completing all job search activities, wardrobe update for appropriate attire, planning transportation and child-care services, and job placement. Peer support groups and additional counseling or follow-up is also available to all program graduates.

Contact:
STRIVE
1500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06120
860-278-8460 ext 22
860-297-0074 fax
E-Mail: sandcorporation.com; info@sandcorporation.com - general e-mail

STRIVE/New Haven, in addition to developing appropriate attitudes and basic job search and retention skills, seeks to introduce participants to the demands of the workplace. The training sessions take place during work hours, five days per week for three weeks. The goal of the training is to rid participants of negative behavior and pessimistic mindsets, while building the necessary attitude to gain employment, particularly in service industries requiring inter-personal skills.

Contact:
STRIVE-New Haven
746 Chapel Street, Suite 301
New Haven, CT 06510
203-777-1720
203-777-3075 fax
E-Mail: info@strivenewhaven.com
Web Site: www.strivenewhaven.com

Contact: