Domestic Violence Protections Expanded

On May 13, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation protecting victims of domestic violence from discrimination. This legislation expanded protections for victims of domestic violence to areas of discrimination where they were not previously guaranteed, such as housing, education, and public accommodations

Prior to this, victims of domestic violence were only covered as a protected class under the employment provisions of the Human Rights Law. However, employment is not the only context in which a victim might face discrimination, making this expansion to other areas such as housing, education, public accommodations necessary, and further instituting a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive lens to New York State's response to survivors.

For additional information on the resources available to victims of domestic violence, visit the NYS Office for Prevention of Domestic Violence website.

The Division's publication on the employment rights of victims of domestic violence is available below. Further publications on this update will added here as they become available.