Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LABOR NEWS—NYC Human Rights Commission’s annual report touts ongoing worker protection, (Oct 28, 2025)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

In employment, the Commission saw 84 claims for gender discrimination, 78 claims of retaliation, 46 claims of disability discrimination, and 38 claims of race discrimination.

The fiscal year (FY) 2025 annual report of the New York City Commission on Human Rights details the Commission’s efforts to protect New Yorkers, including workers faced with discrimination, in the face of a shifting landscape of federal protections. The report details the Commission’s use of pre-complaint interventions, complaint resolution, and enforcement actions to prevent and remedy discrimination.

Pre-complaint interventions. To provide immediate relief from continuing harm and/or to offer a quick resolution, the Commission intervenes, when appropriate, before or instead of filing a complaint. Candidates for pre-compliant intervention include matters that can be resolved quickly and without filing a complaint, such as disability-related accommodation requests in employment. The Commission may also determine that pre-complaint intervention is necessary when a clear pattern or practice of violations comes to its attention. In FY 2025, the Law Enforcement Bureau resolved 327 matters without filing a complaint.

Complaints. In FY 2025, the Commission filed 396 complaints of discrimination. About 58 percent of the cases were in employment, while 31 percent were in housing and 10 percent were in public accommodations. Overall, disability-related claims (26 percent) were most common across all areas of jurisdiction; other prevalent claims included gender (18 percent), lawful source of income (15 percent), and race (8 percent). Most complaints alleged more than one violation, and complaints commonly involved more than one protected class. In employment, the Commission saw 84 claims for gender discrimination, 78 claims of retaliation, 46 claims of disability discrimination, and 38 claims of race discrimination.

The Commission resolved 374 filed cases in FY 2025 and referred 16 matters to the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings for further litigation. The average time filed complaints were pending while moving to a final resolution was 1,029 days.

Enforcement actions. In one case, the Commission obtained a settlement of $30,000 for a worker who was terminated after she reported that her supervisor routinely commented on her appearance and indicated she was hired because she was attractive. In another, the Commission obtained $60,000 in emotional distress damages and $25,000 in back pay for a worker who alleged discrimination based on race and sexual orientation, as well as retaliatory termination. In total, the Commission obtained approximately $17.5 million in compensatory damages and civil penalties through conciliations, mediated settlements, and withdrawals with benefits.

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