Businesses operating in Connecticut have access to a wealth of talent. Connecticut is one of the leading job providers in the insurance and financial sectors and is home to companies such as Liberty Bank, Webster Bank and Chelsea Groton Bank.
That being said, the state employment requirements and the high standards of employees working in Connecticut can make it challenging to hire an employee in Connecticut.
To make an effective hire in Connecticut, follow the guidelines of this post and present new hires with all federally required forms and information.
Offering Jobs in Connecticut (CT)
To make skilled hires in Connecticut, you must be sure that the compensation you're offering is appropriate for the area you operate in and the level of experience you want from candidates. This can differ throughout the different cities in Connecticut such as New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, Stamford, and others.
Along with the actual compensation offered, you should evaluate other job characteristics that talented candidates will be interested in, like:
- The level of autonomy, creative control, or budgetary discretion they will have
- Health benefits, retirement, and other business perks
- The tools and resources they will have access to
- Your company's reputation as an employer
You can use Glassdoor Salaries to see the salary range for the position you're offering in your area and ensure that you aren't marketing a job that is impossible to hire.
[Related: 4 Things You Need to Do to Close Candidates]
Hiring an Employee in Connecticut
The salary you're offering needs to be appropriate when you're hiring an employee in Connecticut, but your open job also needs to be marketed in the right way.
People working in some of Connecticut's most popular industries, such as finance, healthcare and insurance, expect a lot from their employer, and will pass on job opportunities that don't align with their salary expectations or needs.
Many companies hiring in Connecticut devote much more of their job descriptions to requirements and responsibilities, but you can cut through the noise by appealing to readers and explaining your company's culture, rather than enumerating job requirements.
When your job advertising speaks to readers at a high level and is more geared toward explaining what your company offers as an employer, it will impress candidates who know they are qualified for your open roles. You can get into more specifics once they have applied, but to get their interest in the first place, it is best to summarize requirements that will be understood by high-level candidates.
To see some examples of how jobs are being marketed in your area, you can search Glassdoor Jobs for the position you're hiring for, and get some ideas for your job description.
Find and Evaluate Employees in Connecticut
When evaluating candidates for an open job, it's important to think about fit, both in terms of the work that a candidate will do and in terms of their fit with your company.
No matter how proficient a candidate is at completing the work you need done, they won't be retained in the long term if they don't experience fit with your company or their co-workers. Because of this, candidates should be evaluated for:
- Technical skill to complete work required by the role
- Aspirational fit with work required by the role
- Personality fit with coworkers and direct managers
- Personal and ethical fit with your company
When interviewing candidates, it is important that you do not ask any questions that are considered discriminatory on the basis or race, gender, gender identity, religion, age or other demographic information that is protected by discrimination law.
Comply With Connecticut State Employment Standards
Connecticut is generally considered a strict state, similar to California. All employers must comply with these basic standards and regulations.
Here are the employment requirements that all employers must meet in Connecticut when hiring a new employee:
Federal and State Employment Required Posters in Connecticut
Employers in Connecticut are required to display both federal and state employment posters.
1. Connecticut Discrimination Is Illegal Poster
2. Connecticut Managed Care Poster
3. Connecticut Minimum Wage Orders Poster
4. Connecticut Notice to Employees Workers' Compensation Act Poster
5. Connecticut Paid Sick Leave Poster
6. Connecticut Pregnancy Discrimination Notice Poster
7. Connecticut Sexual Harassment Poster
8. Connecticut Unemployment Compensation Poster
Employees in Connecticut must be presented with the following forms and informational pamphlets as they undergo new hire orientation. Forms must be filled out completely, unless these forms are specific claims and informational resources must be read completely by new employees:
- I-9, Employment Eligibility Form
- W-4, Federal Tax Withholding Form
- CT-W4 Form
- Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
- Combined Employer's Registration Form
- Connecticut New Hire Reporting Form
- Employers must follow all requirements of Connecticut's New Hire Reporting Program.
The following information must be included in the report of new hires:
1. Company name
2. Company address
3. Company federal tax ID number
4. Employee's name
5. Employee's social security number
6. Employee's address
7. First day of paid work
- Employers must deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment
- Follow all Connecticut EEO standards during the hiring process
Along with the above forms, Connecticut also has a wide range of state-specific tax forms:
- Attorney Occupational Tax (Form 472)
- Business Entity Tax (OP-424)
- Composite Income Tax (CT-1065/CT-1120SI)
- Corporation Business Tax
- Excise Tax Forms
- Partnership Returns
- Public Service Tax Forms
- Sales Tax & Other Vendor Taxes
- Unrelated Business Tax (CT-990T)
New Hire Checklist and Reporting in Connecticut
There's a lot to keep track of when making a new hire in Connecticut, so you can use this checklist to help you as you hire new employees.
Required Employment Forms in Connecticut
The new hire has signed the following forms:
1. Signed Job Offer Letter
2. W2 Tax Form
3. I-9 Form and Supporting Documents
4. Direct Deposit Authorization Form (Template)
6. CT-W4 Form
7. Employee Personal Data Form (Template)
8. Company Health Insurance Policy Forms
9. Disability Self-Identification Form (if business is done with government)
10. Company Non-Disclosure Agreement (if applicable)
Connecticut Payroll Tax and Reporting Requirements
- Report new employees within 20 days of start of their work date with a Report of New Employee(s)
- Deposit and report federal employment taxes to the IRS by following IRS procedures for payroll reporting and payment
You should also check with your city and country to see if they have any other requirements for the hiring of new employees and any employment standards in addition to the statewide requirements.
