New York State’s Human Rights Law has been amended to require the establishment of a statewide, toll-free, confidential hotline for complaints of workplace sexual harassment.

The new hotline was launched on July 19, 2022. Employees in New York may now call 1-800-HARASS-3 to receive free legal counseling on any complaint of workplace sexual harassment. The hotline will also provide the caller with information on how to file a sexual harassment complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights. The hotline will be staffed by a team of pro bono attorneys. 

What does this mean for employers in New York State? 

Every employer in New York State should already have a sexual harassment prevention policy in place. You should update this policy to include the hotline information. Additionally, every employer in New York State is required to provide employees with sexual harassment prevention training on an annual basis. That training should also be updated to include the information on the hotline.