New York Sexual Harassment Laws

By: Michael J. Borrelli, Attorney
September 22, 2008

In New York, Sexual harassment is one of the most wide-spread forms of work place discrimination.  Federal and NY state law makers have provided a remedy in case you have been subjected to such abuse. The laws are clear that unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment.  When this conduct affects an individual's employment, or unreasonably interferes with an individual's  performance it creates an offensive or hostile work environment.

New York Employment Discrimination, the Basics

By: Michael J. Borrelli, Attorney
September 22, 2008

Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms, each one of them unjust and ugly. According to the U.S. law, employment discrimination occurs when an company or its representatives adversely single out employees or applicants based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or other issues covered by the law.

Let’s take a closer look on the most wide-spread forms of New York employment discrimination:

New York Civil Rights

By: Michael J. Borrelli, Attorney
September 22, 2008

The United States Constitution guarantees every American citizen certain civil rights and personal liberties. Among these are: the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, the right to privacy, the right of peaceful protest, the right to a fair investigation, and more generally-based constitutional rights such as the right to vote, the right to personal freedom, the right to freedom of movement and the right of equal protection.

In New York, civil rights are just as important.

New York Age Discrimination, The Problem

By: Michael J. Borrelli, Attorney
September 22, 2008

Common knowledge says that older employees have more experience and leadership skills than younger ones. Nevertheless, many employers see older workers as also having more problems with health, taking more time off, and being less active and ambitious.

Surveys show that in New York age discrimination begins when job seekers are in their late thirties. In some industries they consider a person to be worn out when they reach their forties.  The issue is extremely hard to address and in most cases represents the biased perception that older workers are not as capable and qualified as their younger counterparts. In addition to being perceived as “old”, experienced candidates are often considered to “cost” more than younger applicants. It means they would need higher salaries, pensions, and benefits.