STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Human Rights And Opportunities Trainee

Hybrid

Recruitment #240506-4776SH-001

Introduction


Are you interested in starting a career with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities? If so, we have an excellent opportunity for you!

 

The State of Connecticut, Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) is currently recruiting for one (1) Human Rights and Opportunities Trainee located in Central Office, Executive - 450 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, CT.

At the State of Connecticut, Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), our mission is to eliminate discrimination through civil and human rights law enforcement and to establish equal opportunity and justice for all persons within the state through advocacy and education.  

In this role, we will have you learn on the job to develop the tools to become a Human Rights and Opportunities Representative at the end of a two-year training program.

This position, though located in Hartford, CT also requires considerable travel throughout the State of Connecticut as well as an assigned region of Connecticut.

Position Highlights: PCN 1413401

  • Full-time
  • 40 Hours
  • 1st Shift
  • Monday – Friday; 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
  • Hybrid work schedule
  • Statewide travel required

Comprehensive Benefit Offerings:

  • Industry leading health benefits, including medical and dental coverage.
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings.
  • Paid time off – including 13 paid holidays per calendar year.
  • A healthy work-life balance!
  • To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked one of the best Employers of 2023 – State of CT receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
  • The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.

In your role as a Human Rights and Opportunities Trainee, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Assist with community engagement programs;
  • Assist with education and outreach;
  • Assist with Agency’s training programs;
  • Assist with the development and maintenance of the Executive Internship Program;
  • Develop, review, implement and monitor specific remedies, programs and projects designed to promote equal opportunity, affirmative action and intergroup relations;
  • Develop cooperative law enforcement and compliance liaison activities and community organizations, business and federal, state and local government agencies;
  • Investigate discriminatory practices and complaints;
  • Review state agency affirmative action plans and contractor set-aside plans
  • Perform enforcement and investigative work of gradually increasing responsibilities;
  • Performs related duties as required;

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE WITH APPLYING:

Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

To Apply:

  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules.  Applications to this recruitment will be used to meet collective bargaining requirements.  Once any collective bargaining requirements have been met, all other applications may be considered.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting.  Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.

Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:

  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, the Department of Administrative Services is unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.
  • Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

Connect With Us:

  • If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Rocky Young at rocky.young@ct.gov and reference the recruitment number. 
  • Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities this class is accountable for successfully completing a planned training program in civil rights law enforcement and investigative techniques while performing enforcement and investigative work with gradually increasing responsibility.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Receives training in investigation of discriminatory practices complaints, review of affirmative action plans, compliance review of contractors doing business with the state and systemic enforcement activities;
  • Receives training in development, review, implementation and monitoring of specific remedies, programs and projects designed to promote equal opportunity, affirmative action and intergroup relations;
  • Receives training in development of cooperative law enforcement and compliance liaison activities with community organizations, business and federal, state and local governmental agencies;
  • Receives training in other related areas as required;
  • Performs enforcement and investigative work of gradually increasing responsibilities;
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • causes of discrimination and its social and economic impact on protected classes;
    • interviewing principles and techniques;
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills;
    • organizational skills; 
    • analytical skills;
  • Ability to
    • read, understand and apply statutes, regulations, legal theories and policies to a given set of facts;
    • follow oral and written instructions;
    • prepare reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Four (4) years of experience involving the protection of human rights and examination of social problems of protected classes.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The preferred candidate will have:
  • Experience with community engagement, education and outreach;
  • Experience with conducting fact finding conferences with multiple parties present;
  • Experience and understanding of the mediation process and techniques (negotiation and arbitration);
  • Experience handling and protecting confidential sensitive information;
  • Experience using Microsoft 365
  • Experience managing large caseloads and completing multiple tasks simultaneously within strict deadlines.
  • Experience creating flyers and informational documents
  • Experience posting / uploading to social media platforms (Eg. Facebook, Instagram, You Tube)

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.