On August 12, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law Senate Bill 506577 / Assembly Bill A8421, significantly expanding protections to individuals working in New York State, thereby increasing an employer’s exposure to liability for claims of employment harassment and discrimination. This article discusses key provisions of the law, along with our initial guidance.

Effective August 12, 2019:

• Construction. The New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) is to be liberally construed consistent with its “remedial” purposes and independently construed from its federal counterpart. Additionally, the law requires that exceptions to, and exemptions from, NYSHRL’s coverage be construed narrowly “in order to maximize deterrence of discriminatory conduct.”

Originally published in Lexis Practical Advisor.