On December 19, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation (Senate Bill S8338) that amended the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) to expressly recognize disparate impact as a basis for employment discrimination claims. Under the amended NYSHRL, a discriminatory practice may be established by a “practice’s discriminatory effect, even
Articles Discussing The New York Human Rights Law.
Chris Maugans Discusses Disparate Impact as Federal Pullback Fuels Employer Confusion in NY, NJ
NY and NJ strengthen disparate impact protections, creating new compliance challenges as federal policy retreats, Chris Maugans explains.
New York City Commission on Human Rights 2025 Annual Report Reveals Operational Priorities
New York City Commission on Human Rights 2025 Annual Report Reveals Operational Priorities
The New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) is one of the broadest and most comprehensive civil rights laws in the world. The NYCHRL prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations and delineates well over a
Scott Green Examines Potential Impact of Mamdani’s Victory on NYC Anti-Bias Agency
Scott Green was quoted in a Law360 article discussing the potential impact of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign pledge to increase funding for the NYC Commission on Human Rights.
Second Circuit Clarifies Scope of Marital Status Discrimination Under New York City Human Rights Law
In Hunter v. Debmar-Mercury, the Second Circuit clarified the scope of marital status discrimination under the New York City Human Rights Law
New York Amends Constitution to Expand Equal Protection
On November 6, 2024, New Yorkers across the state voted “yes” on the Equal Rights Amendment, commonly known as Proposition 1. The newly passed Equal Rights Amendment expands New Yorkers’ constitutional civil rights and codifies protections against discrimination in the state constitution.
#MeToo: New York State Court Allows Actor’s Claims Against Entertainment Companies to Proceed Based on Alleged Conduct in 1995 by Weinstein
A New York state judge has denied motions to dismiss actor Julia Ormond’s claims against a film company, its parent company, and a talent agency based on conduct by film producer Harvey Weinstein, who Ormond alleges assaulted her in December 1995 in her Manhattan apartment. In her lawsuit, Ormond alleges
New York Now Requires Paid Lactation Breaks
Effective June 19, 2024, New York employers will be required to provide up to 30 minutes of paid lactation breaks to employees each time an employee has a reasonable need to express breast milk at work. This change to New York Labor Law Section 206-c is set forth in Bill
Avoiding Unlawful Housing Discrimination in New York State: Three-Part Podcast Series
Landlords, property managers, realtors and others in residential real estate strive to avoid inadvertently discriminating against individuals renting or leasing residential properties. Despite best intentions, discrimination can occur against protected classes covered under the New York State Human Rights Law. In this three-part series of our We get work™ podcast, we discuss housing discrimination under the New York State Human Rights Law with Chelsea John, Director of Fair Housing Investigations at NYS Division of Human Rights.
New York Enacts Greater Restrictions on Release Agreements Involving Claims of Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation
On November 17, 2023, the New York governor signed into law S4516, which amends Section 5-336 of the New York General Obligations Law to restrict certain terms from being included in release agreements involving claims of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The amendments went into effect immediately and apply to
Second Circuit Holds EPA “Factor Other Than Sex” Affirmative Defense Need Not Be Job-Related
Second Circuit holds that “factor other than sex” affirmative defense to Equal Pay Act claim does not need to be job-related. New York Labor Law § 194(1)’s “bona fide factor other than status within one or more protected class or classes” defense does require
NYSHRL’s Source of Income Discrimination Statute Unconstitutional
In a recent legal development, a New York State Supreme Court ruled that the source-of-income anti-discrimination statute within the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) is unconstitutional, citing a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
New York State Department of Labor Publishes Model Lactation Accommodation Policy
On June 7, 2023, a law providing expanded protections for breastfeeding employees in New York took effect. The law applies to all public and private employers in the state, regardless of size.
New York City Enacts Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Height, Weight
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has signed legislation amending the New York City Human Rights Law to prohibit discrimination based on a person’s height or weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The new law will become effective on November 22, 2023.
NYC Enacts Height and Weight Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
On May 26, 2023, New York City enacted an ordinance amending the New York City Human Rights Law to ban employment discrimination on the basis of a person’s height and weight.1 This new ordinance further expands the comprehensive list of characteristics already protected by the New York City Human Rights