New York bans bias over your citizenship or immigration status

Anywhere in New York State, an employer can’t harass you or give you worse working conditions because of your citizenship or immigration status. If you’re legally allowed to work, an employer also can’t refuse to hire you or fire you for that reason. Landlords, lenders, most public and private schools, and businesses that serve the public can’t discriminate on those grounds either. The law covers citizens and noncitizens alike. It still allows status checks and resulting action when another law requires them. Private religious schools and certain for-profit early education schools are not covered by its education rules.

You don’t have to sign up for anything. If you think you were treated unfairly, you can report it to the state Division of Human Rights by phone or online. Reporting is free, and you don’t need a lawyer. Under a separate change to state law, incidents on or after Feb. 15, 2024, can be reported within three years of the most recent incident. New York City’s own human rights law already covered citizenship and immigration status; the 2022 state law made the protection explicit statewide.

Assemblymember Catalina Cruz introduced the bill in March 2021, and Sen. John Liu carried it in the Senate. The Assembly passed it in May 2022, and the Senate followed 42–19 later that month, with one Republican joining Democrats. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed it on December 23, 2022, and it took effect that day.