Employers with four or more employees in New York State can’t discriminate based on a person’s gender identity or expression, including transgender status, under amendments to the state’s human rights law that take effect 24 Feb 2019. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act explicitly protects employees from employment discrimination on the basis of their actual or perceived gender-related identity.
Features of the law include the following:
New York already has gender identity protections in place. Regulations adopted in 2015 prohibit harassment and discrimination on the grounds of gender identity, transgender status and gender dysphoria, and a 2018 law requires all employers to adopt a model sexual harassment prevention policy that covers gender identity and transgender status.