What's happening
This bill prohibits employment discrimination against victims of domestic violence and requires reasonable workplace accommodations for related absences.
Why it matters
Expands Legal Protections. By clearly defining "victim of domestic violence" and adding this status to anti-discrimination law, the bill ensures that victims have explicit and enforceable rights in the workplace—potentially making it easier to seek legal recourse if mistreated.
Mandates Reasonable Accommodations. Employers are now required to make reasonable accommodations for victims who need time off for specific, critical activities—such as seeking medical attention, counseling, legal help, or safety planning—unless doing so would pose an undue hardship on the employer.
Protects Privacy. The bill obligates employers to keep an employee’s status as a domestic violence victim confidential, which could help reduce stigma or fear of retaliation and encourage more victims to seek help.
Clarifies Documentation and Notification. Employees may need to provide advance notice or documentation (like police reports or medical letters) for absences, which balances employee rights with the employer’s need for operational continuity. This could minimize potential abuse of the policy while supporting those with legitimate needs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Domestic Violence Victims
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1247
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting employers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 34 of section 292 of the executive law is REPEALED and a new subdivision 34 is added to read as follows:
34. The term "victim of domestic violence" means a person who is a victim of an act which would constitute a violation of the penal law, including, but not limited to, an act defined in subdivision one of section eight hundred twelve of the family court act, where such act is or has alleged to have been committed by a family or household member as defined in subdivision one of section eight hundred twelve of the family court act.
§ 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 296 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 365 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
(a) For an employer or licensing agency, because of an individual's age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status, or status as a victim of domestic violence [victim status], to refuse to hire or employ or to bar or to discharge from employment such individual or to discriminate against such individual in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
§ 3. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer or licensing agency, because of any individual's status as a victim
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02142-01-7
S. 1247 2
of domestic violence, to refuse to hire or employ or license or to bar or to discharge from employment such individual or to discriminate against such individual in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
(b) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer or employment agency to print or circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of application for employment or to make any inquiry in connection with prospective employment which expresses, directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination as to status as a victim of domestic violence, or any intent to make any such limitation, specification or discrimination; provided, however, that no provision of this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit the employer from making any inquiry or obtaining information for the purpose of providing assistance to, or a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the provisions of this subdivision to, a victim of domestic violence.
(c)(1) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to refuse to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee who is known by the employer to be a victim of domestic violence, limited to those accommodations set forth in subparagraph two of this paragraph, when such employee must be absent from work for a reasonable time, unless such absence would cause an undue hardship to the employer as set forth in subparagraph three of this paragraph, provided, however that the employer may require an employee to charge any time off pursuant to this section against any leave with pay ordinarily granted, where available, unless otherwise provided for in a collective bargaining agreement or existing employee handbook or policy, and any such absence that cannot be charged may be treated as leave without pay. An employee who must be absent from work in accordance with subparagraph two of this paragraph shall be entitled to the continuation of any health insurance coverage provided by the employer, to which the employee is otherwise entitled during any such absence.
(2) An employer is required to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee who is a victim of domestic violence who must be absent from work for a reasonable time, in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph one of this paragraph, limited to the following:
(i) Seeking medical attention for injuries caused by domestic violence including for a child who is a victim of domestic violence, provided that the employee is not the perpetrator of the domestic violence against the child; or
(ii) Obtaining services from a domestic violence shelter, program, or rape crisis center as a result of domestic violence; or
(iii) Obtaining psychological counseling related to an incident or incidents of domestic violence, including for a child who is a victim of domestic violence, provided that the employee is not the perpetrator of the domestic violence against the child; or
(iv) Participating in safety planning and taking other actions to increase safety from future incidents of domestic violence, including temporary or permanent relocation; or
(v) Obtaining legal services, assisting in the prosecution of the offense, or appearing in court in relation to the incident or incidents of domestic violence.
(3) An employer is required to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee's absence in accordance with the provisions of subparagraphs one and two of this paragraph unless the employer can demonstrate that the employee's absence would constitute an undue hardship to the employ-
S. 1247 3
er. A determination of whether such an absence will constitute an undue hardship shall include consideration of factors such as:
(i) The overall size of the business, program or enterprise with respect to the number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size of budget; and
(ii) The type of operation in which the business, program or enterprise is engaged, including the composition and structure of the workforce.
(4) An employee who must be absent from work in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph one of this paragraph shall provide the employer with reasonable advance notice of the employee's absence, unless such advance notice is not feasible.
(5) An employee who must be absent from work in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph one of this paragraph and who cannot feasibly give reasonable advance notice of the absence in accordance with subparagraph four of this paragraph must, within a reasonable time after the absence, provide a certification to the employer when requested by the employer.
Such certification shall be in the form of:
(i) A police report indicating that the employee was a victim of domestic violence;
(ii) A court order protecting or separating the employee from the perpetrator of an act of domestic violence;
(iii) Other evidence from the court or prosecuting attorney that the employee appeared in court; or
(iv) Documentation from a medical professional, domestic violence advocate, health care provider, or counselor that the employee was undergoing counseling or treatment for physical or mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization from an act of domestic violence.
(6) Where an employee has a physical or mental disability resulting from an incident or series of incidents of domestic violence, such employee shall be treated in the same manner as an employee with any other disability, pursuant to the provisions of this section which provide that discrimination and refusal to provide reasonable accommodation of disability are unlawful discriminatory practices.
(d) To the extent allowed by law, employers shall maintain the confidentiality of any information regarding an employee's status as a victim of domestic violence.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting employers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
Purpose
This bill would prohibit discrimination against victims of domestic violence in employment and provide a limited reasonable accommodation provision.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill would amend Executive Law s 292 by adding a new subdivision 34 to define the term "victim of domestic violence."
Read the full memo (732 words)
Section 2 of the bill would amend Executive Law § 296, as amended by chapter 80 of the laws of 2009 by preventing an employer or licensing agency from discriminating in hiring or discharging someone based on the "status as a victim" of domestic violence.
Section 3 of the bill would amend Executive Law § 296 by adding a new subdivision 20 to: (1) prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of an employee's status as a victim of domestic violence; (2) require an employer, unless it would be an undue hardship, to provide a reasonable accommodation to a victim of domestic violence, limited solely to allowing an absence, charged to leave or unpaid, for certain activities set forth in the subdivision; and (3) require an employee who must be absent from work pursuant to this section to provide reasonable advance notice, except where such notice is not feasible.
Section 4 of the bill would provide that it will become effective 90 days after enactment.
Existing law
Executive Law § 292 defines terms used in the Human Rights Law.
Executive Law § 296 sets forth unlawful discriminatory practices in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, and other areas.
Justification
Domestic violence is a crime of enormous magnitude that affects all New Yorkers regardless of age, race, or economic status-with long term and Pervasive consequences for victims, families, communities and society. Each year, an estimated 400,000 domestic violence incidents are reported to law enforcement in New York, and approximately 300,000 calls are received by hotlines throughout the State. As of 2007, there were nearly 165,000 orders of protection issued in domestic violence cases in family, criminal and supreme courts.
In New York and around the nation, several high profile domestic violence cases have renewed focus on the effects of domestic violence on its victims, children and our communities. In addition, some studies have indicated an increased risk of abusive conduct during difficult financial times. The stresses of an economic downturn might also make it more difficult for victims of domestic violence to take the steps they need to get and stay safe.
While New York vigorously responds to domestic violence, with over 550 police departments, 200 emergency rooms, 150 domestic violence service providers, 99 domestic violence hotlines and 1,000 specialized courts, improvements can be made to hold offenders accountable, support victims of domestic violence and protect our children from exposure to and involvement in domestic violence situations. This bill will implement legislative changes that will strengthen New York's support for victims and their children.
Stable housing and employment are often the most important resources a domestic violence victim needs in order to stay safe. It can be difficult for victims to obtain and maintain employment due to the stresses of domestic violence, the abuser's interference with the victim's ability to perform in the workplace or the need to access services that are necessary for safety. By including victims of domestic violence as a protected class in the employment provisions of the Human Rights Law, the State will ensure that victims will not be prevented from obtaining or maintaining employment merely as a result of their status as victims of domestic violence.
The bill would allow employees a reasonable accommodation in taking time off to, for example, seek medical attention or counseling or appear in court on matters related to incidents of domestic violence, including child protective proceedings, unless time off would constitute an undue hardship for the employer. Employers would have the option of requiring that employees charge this time to accumulated leave credits of where such leave credits are unavailable, take unpaid leave.
Budgetary implications
This bill is not expected to have a material impact on State finances.
Prior legislative history
2009-10: S.6000-A/A.9018-A(John) - veto memo 6759
Effective date
This bill would take effect ninety days after it becomes a law.
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