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Local Ordinances
Does my city have its own laws about sex discrimination?What are the differences between local and state law?The New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law differ in the damages that can be awarded under the two statutes. Under State Law, attorney’s fees and punitive damages are not allowed, whereas the two are allowed under the City Law (http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/cchr/home.html). In order to file a claim under New York City Human Rights Law, the discrimination must have occurred within the City limits. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the local law? The obvious disadvantage of the city law is that it is not applicable throughout the entire state, just in the city limits of New York City. The advantages are that a successful claim can result in the awarding of punitive damages to you, which can oftentimes be substantially more than compensatory damages. What is the procedure of filing a local claim?The process is very similar to filing with the New York State Division of Human Rights, although you may only file a claim with one commission, not both. By contacting either the New York State Division of Human Rights or the New York City Commission on Human Rights, they should be able to assist you with your claim and direct you as to whether or not you should proceed under the state or city human rights law. You may contact the City Commission on Human Rights by calling (212) 306-5070 or by visiting the Commission’s Law Enforcement Bureau’s office located in Lower Manhattan at:
40 Rector Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Legal Glossary
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