ALBANY, N.Y. (WROC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package deal of laws Wednesday that addresses office harassment and discrimination.
One of many legal guidelines establishes a confidential hotline for complaints of office sexual harassment. One other regulation contains the state and all public staff as topic to human rights regulation. A 3rd regulation prohibits the discharge of personnel data as a retaliatory motion towards staff.
The package deal of legal guidelines was signed at a Ladies’s Historical past Month celebration with advocates for gender fairness and girls’s rights.
“From day one, it has been considered one of my prime priorities to scrub up Albany, change a tradition of harassment and abuse, and guarantee secure, respectful workplaces,” Gov. Hochul mentioned. “Everybody has the correct to a office freed from illegal discrimination and harassment, and I’ll by no means cease combating for gender fairness. Whereas there’s extra work to be achieved, I’m happy with the steps we’re taking to advertise security, dignity, and respect for all New Yorkers.”
From the governor’s workplace
Laws S.812B/A.2035B would require the Division of Human Rights to determine a toll free confidential hotline for complaints of office sexual harassment. Many victims of office sexual harassment are unable to train their authorized rights as a result of they aren’t conscious of what these rights are. The operate of the hotline can be to attach complainants with skilled pro-bono attorneys who will assist make them conscious of their authorized rights and advise them on the specifics of their individualized circumstances.
Laws S.3395B/A.2483B clarifies that the State is taken into account an employer of anybody serving within the government, judiciary, and legislative branches – together with the workers of elected officers or judges – and topic to the provisions of the Human Rights Regulation. This laws will make clear that the state won’t be able to keep away from duty for harassment of public staff and make sure that New York’s sweeping anti-harassment laws shield each private and non-private staff.
Laws S.5870/A.7101 establishes that the discharge of personnel data to discredit victims of office discrimination counts as a retaliatory motion underneath the Human Rights Regulation. The Human Rights Regulation expressly prohibits all types of retaliation towards complainants. This laws clarifies that the discharge of a personnel document counts as retaliation besides the place it’s essential to adjust to an investigation. This invoice additionally supplies further recourse to victims of illegal retaliation underneath this new provision by permitting them to file a grievance with the Legal professional Normal who could start a continuing in state Supreme Court docket.
