The Division's Units

The New York State Division of Human Rights is a state government agency that fights injustices caused by discrimination, hate, and bias. We promote equal opportunity, access, and dignity for all New Yorkers because we all belong here.

• Intake Unit: The Intake Unit is responsible for receiving, processing, and tracking all discrimination reports filed with the Division.
• Regional Investigations Unit: The Investigations Unit oversees the Division’s network of regional offices, where investigators handle complaints of discrimination from across the state.
• Housing Investigations Unit: The Housing Investigations Unit (HIU), headquartered in The Bronx, handles all complaints of housing discrimination from across the state.
• Division-Initiated Action Unit: The Division of Human Rights is empowered by law to investigate discrimination and file complaints on behalf of the Division through its Division Initiated Action Unit (DIAU). This unit is responsible for identifying, investigating and filing complaints on behalf of the state in high impact cases and cases involving systemic discrimination.
• Prosecutions Unit: The attorneys within the Division’s Prosecutions Unit represent the State's interests in the acts of discrimination alleged in complaints handled in administrative hearings and certain state court cases. This unit also negotiates settlement agreements in complaints filed with the Division.
• Hearings Unit: The Hearings Unit oversees the agency’s Administrative Law Judges, who conduct hearings on discrimination complaints where the Division has found probable cause to believe discrimination may have occurred. The Hearings Unit handles settlement agreements, complaint dismissals, and makes recommendations to the Commissioner about how individual complaints should be resolved after public hearings.
• Office of General Counsel: The Division’s Office of General Counsel provides direct legal assistance and advice to the Commissioner and other Division policy makers as to the interpretation of the Human Rights Law and other laws, including legal and procedural advice to Administrative Law Judges. The Office also provides legal and procedural advice to units throughout the agency.
• Legislative and External Relations Unit: The Legislative and External Relations Unit is charged with developing community outreach and education programs about the Division and the Human Rights Law for the public. The office coordinates all external activities and manages the Division’s legislative affairs and policy considerations.
• Communications Unit: The Communications Unit oversees all aspects of the Division’s public messaging, including creation of educational materials and publications, website maintenance, social media management, and media engagement.
• Hate and Bias Prevention Unit: Under Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership, the Division launched the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit in December 2022 to help communities combat prejudice and discrimination. The unit is focused on combating hate and bias with the support of a statewide network of Regional Councils, an incident Response Team, and a Youth Initiatives team.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Unit: The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Office leads the implementation of strategies to foster belonging through the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across the Division. This team focuses on creating a welcoming, inclusive and equitable environment for all staff and the public interacting with the Division.
• Trainings Unit: The Training Unit provides comprehensive, consistent, and ongoing training for all agency staff, including specialized training for agency investigators to ensure that all investigatory staff throughout the state carry out their work in a fair, efficient, and consistent manner.
• Internal Audit Unit: The Internal Audit Unit is focused on identifying opportunities to strengthen controls and improve operations across the agency.