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Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities urges funding for more investigators, communications staff
Summary
CHRO told an Appropriations subcommittee it needs additional positions and recurring funding to handle rising dual-filed complaints with HUD and EEOC, and to sustain a planned civil-rights museum; officials reported a personal services deficit and high overtime costs.
The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities told the Appropriations Committee—s Regulation and Protection Subcommittee on Feb. 14 that it needs additional positions and recurring funding to manage a surge in civil-rights complaints and new federal workload.
CHRO Executive Director Tanya Hughes said the agency "was appropriated for 91 positions, but we currently have 92 staff people, and 6 vacancies, which then brings us to 98." Hughes and Deputy Executive Director Cheryl Sharp said staffing shortfalls have increased overtime and left the agency running a personal services deficit.
"Close to $200,000, was the last information we received. It was $391,000," Hughes said when asked about the deficit. CHRO added that about $200,000 of recent spending was overtime used to meet contractual obligations with HUD and the EEOC on dual-filed housing and employment complaints.
Why it matters: CHRO enforces state civil-rights laws in housing, employment, credit and public accommodations and also conducts affirmative-action and contract compliance reviews for public works. Officials told lawmakers that federal agencies are reducing staff and increasingly relying on state commissions to investigate complaints, which has driven a sharp rise in intake and investigation workload.
What CHRO asked for: Hughes and Sharp highlighted an expansion request in the governor—s budget and asked for recurring funding to fill investigator and intake positions across regional offices (Hartford, Waterbury, Bridgeport and Norwich), additional affirmative-action/contract-compliance staff and a director of communications to manage outreach amid heightened public concern.
Agency officials described a complex head-count history tied to durational positions used during the COVID period. Sharp said CHRO currently uses several short-term (durational) positions that expire June 30, 2025, and warned those positions are critical to operations.
Lawmakers—questions and staff follow up: Members asked for documentary backup showing how many complaints the agency receives and trends by category; CHRO said complaint and inquiry numbers for the past two years are published on its website and that it will provide consolidated statistics and a position-by-position accounting for OPM review at a working session.
Other items: Hughes described an ongoing plan for a civil-rights museum that would "carry out one of the prongs of our mission" for public education and outreach; CHRO said the acquisition of space and a bond proposal are being pursued separately.
The committee did not take a vote. CHRO officials asked lawmakers to consider the agency—s expansion request to avoid further service strain and to ensure timely completion of dual-filed federal and state investigations.
Ending: CHRO representatives said they would return to the committee with detailed staffing lists, the agency—s budget expansion request, and statistics on inquiries and complaints to inform a working-session review with OPM and OFA.
