New York has long protected its residents from discrimination in the job hiring process with the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), which was originally passed in 1945. New York City also has its own Human Rights Law...more
On March 14, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the protections of the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) and the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) can apply to non-New York state or city residents or...more
On May 26, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams signed into law a bill that expands New York City's anti-discrimination laws, adding height and weight as protected characteristics under the New York City Human Rights Law. Effective on...more
On May 11, 2023, the New York City Council approved a bill to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of an individual’s height or weight. The bill, Int. No. 209-A, was sent to Mayor Eric Adams for final approval...more
Where is the impact of alleged employment discrimination? That is the question when evaluating whether a remote worker can assert claims under the New York State Human Rights Law (“NYSHRL”) and New York City Human Rights Law...more
As we previously reported, in 2019, the New York City Commission on Human Rights (“Commission”) provided legal enforcement guidance (“Enforcement Guidance”) advising that workplace grooming and appearance policies “that ban,...more
During the end of 2019 and in the past few weeks, New York State and New York City passed legislation and administrative guidance further regulating workplace protections. New York State and New York City employers should...more
Effective January 1, 2020, the protections in the New York City Administrative Code, Section 8-107 (Section 8-102 et seq. of the Code is referred to as the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL)) for employees now extends to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The New York State Division of Human Rights has issued guidance concerning two aspects of the recently amended anti-discrimination law in New York: the “notice” employers are required to distribute at the...more
On October 13, 2019, New York City enacted Int. 136-A (“Law”), which will extend the employment protections of the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) to freelancers and independent contractors, thereby allowing these...more
While courts have generally interpreted the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) as providing anti-discrimination protections to individuals performing services as independent contractors, effective in January 2020,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Once effective, the anti-discrimination and retaliation provisions of the NYC Human Rights Law will apply to freelancers and independent contractors. In addition, independent contractors and employed family...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The New York City Commission on Human Rights released guidance clarifying the New York City Human Rights Law’s restriction on discriminating against applicants and workers on the basis of actual or...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The New York City Council voted to expand the anti-discrimination and retaliation provisions of the Human Rights Law to freelancers and independent contractors. The bill is awaiting the Mayor’s signature. ...more
This edition of Employment Flash looks at a series of recent NLRB decisions, many of which apply to all employers, not just those with unionized employees. We also discuss other U.S. federal and state labor and...more
In recent years both New York State and New York City have actively amended their anti-discrimination laws to expand worker protections. For example, both the state and city have passed laws requiring most employers to...more
In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, partner Evandro Gigante and associate Arielle Kobetz discuss the recent developments out of New York State, that will significantly expand workplace anti-discrimination protections....more
In 2018, in response to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, New York State enacted laws to provide stronger protections against workplace sexual harassment, including mandating that New York employers have a complaint and...more
Building in part on amendments passed last year, the New York State Legislature has passed legislation significantly broadening protections for employees. Governor Cuomo is expected to sign the amendments into law shortly....more
In response to mounting attention to the #MeToo movement, on June 19, 2019, the New York State Legislature passed Assembly Bill A8421 / Senate Bill 6577 (“Bill”), a measure that is even more far-reaching and, thus,...more
On June 13, 2019, bills were introduced in the New Jersey Assembly (A5564) and New Jersey Senate (S3945) that would amend the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”) to include discrimination on the basis of hair. The...more
California Senate Bill (SB) 188 seeks to provide a broader definition of “race” in California’s anti-discrimination law. The bill defines “race” as “inclusive of traits historically associated with race, including, but not...more
The NYC Commission on Human Rights (Commission) recently released new legal enforcement guidance (guidance) that prohibits employers from punishing, demoting, firing, harassing or taking other adverse actions against workers...more
Q: Is it lawful to require an employees or applicants to style their hair in a certain manner? A: As with most employment-related questions, the answer is it depends. ...more
On February 18, 2019, the New York City Commission on Human Rights (the “NYCCHR”) released new legal enforcement guidance (the “Guidance”) regarding discrimination on the basis of natural hair and hairstyles. In the Guidance,...more