Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter (D-Syracuse) announced that she helped pass a legislative package to strengthen New York’s anti-discrimination laws and ensure that all New Yorkers are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.

“New York has long stood for equality and inclusion, but it’s a long road and we need to keep pace,” Hunter said. “These measures go the extra mile to protect all New Yorkers. Whether on the job or in the classroom, everyone should be respected and protected.”

Hunter co-sponsored and helped pass a measure that builds on and clarifies sexual harassment statutes included in last year’s state budget, establishing a model policy and a model training program to prevent discrimination (A.5976). The bill would also require public employee perpetrators of misconduct to reimburse a public entity within 90 days of its awarding of a claim and prohibit mandatory arbitration clauses related to workplace discrimination, among other provisions. As a member of the Assembly Work Group on Sexual Harassment, Hunter was instrumental in strengthening the state’s sexual harassment laws to ensure safe, respectful environments for all New Yorkers.

Other measures included in the package extend anti-discrimination protections of the state’s Human Rights Law to all public schools rather than just private schools (A.3425), combat employment discrimination based on religious attire (A.4204) and require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to nursing mothers in the workplace (A.5975).