New York Civil Rights Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
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The rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law are collectively called civil rights. New York civil rights laws generally mirror federal civil rights laws, with some exceptions. New York, for example, recognizes sexual orientation as a protected status. This means it is a violation of state (but not federal) law to discriminate against a gay person for purposes of employment or housing.
The following chart provides the relevant code sections and basic provisions of New York's civil rights laws.
Explanation of Terms in Civil Rights Laws Chart
| Code Section | Exec. §290, et seq. (Generally); Civ. Rights §§18a to 47c (Public Accommodations and Public Housing) |
| Agency | Generally: Division of Human Rights; Public Accommodations and Public Housing: State Human Rights Appeal Board |
| Administrative Preemption | No |
| Private Action Permitted? | Yes |
| Attorney Fees Recoverable by Plaintiff? | No |
| Statute of Limitations | Generally: variable; Public Accommodations and Public Housing: Not specified |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a New York civil rights attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Research the Law:
- New York Statutes
- Official State Codes - Links to the official online statutes (laws) in all 50 states and DC.