{"id":375272,"date":"2016-09-15T14:52:12","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T19:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/new-york-law\/new-york-harassment-laws.html"},"modified":"2018-03-26T11:48:18","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T16:48:18","slug":"new-york-harassment-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/new-york-law\/new-york-harassment-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"New York Harassment Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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New York Harassment Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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New York harassment laws prohibit a wide array of activities intended to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm people. New York divides harassment into first and second degree crimes, as well as standard harassment and aggravated harassment.<\/p>\n

In addition to these four forms of harassment (discussed below) there is a specific aggravated harassment statute<\/a> that penalizes harassment of prison employees, probation officers, police officers, and other employees by causing them to come into contact with blood, semen, urine, feces, or toilet water.<\/p>\n

New York Harassment Laws Overview<\/h2>\n\n
Statute<\/b><\/td>\n

New York Penal Law \u00a7 240.21 – 240.32<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

First Degree Harassment<\/b><\/td>\n

First degree harassment occurs when a person intentionally and repeatedly harasses another person they:<\/p>\n

Second Degree Harassment<\/b><\/td>\n

Second degree harassment occurs when, with the intention to harass, annoy, or alarm a person they:<\/p>\n

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  • strike another person or attempt or threaten to do so;<\/li>\n
  • follow a person in public places;<\/li>\n
  • act in a way that causes alarm or seriously annoys another person and serves no legitimate purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Second degree harassment is a violation. Violations are offenses that result in a fine but no jail time.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>

Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree<\/b><\/td>\n

Aggravated harassment in the first degree occurs when, with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm another person because of their perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, age, disability, or sexual orientation<\/a> they:<\/p>\n

Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree<\/b><\/td>\n

Aggravated harassment in the second degree occurs when, with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm another person they:<\/p>\n