Ensures Same Rights As Paid Employees
Mayor Bill de Blasio signed last Tuesday, Apr. 15, legislation to protect interns from discrimination in the workplace.
New York City is one of the first municipalities in the nation to pass legislation specifically prohibiting discrimination against paid and unpaid interns. This legislation will clarify that interns, paid or unpaid, are entitled to the full protections guaranteed to employees under the City’s Human Rights Law, and addresses a recent federal court decision that a woman in our city was not protected from sexual workplace harassment solely because she was an intern.
Without intending to limit current provisions of the law covering interns, including paragraphs 1, 2, and 4, of section 8-107, and without relieving the courts of their obligation to interpret every provision of the law broadly in favor of discrimination plaintiffs, this legislation underscores the fact that all interns are entitled to a workplace free from discrimination.
“New Yorkers deserve to work in a safe environment without fear of harassment or discrimination-and this legislation will ensure that interns, paid or unpaid, are entitled to workplace protections under the law. Our administration is fully committed to aggressively defending human rights in our city, and this legislation will provide critical legal protection for unpaid interns in the workplace,” said de Blasio. “Our administration looks forward to working with the Council in the future to ensure that all New Yorkers have the full protections of our Human Rights Law, and that every provision of the law is strongly enforced.”
“In today’s workplace, where more interns and fellows are working on influential matters, it is incredibly important to establish that short-term, unpaid employees have the same rights and protections against inappropriate treatment as paid employees,” added Public Advocate Letitia James.
“Today, our city has taken an important step to ensure that interns are granted the same protections in the workplace as other employees,” said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
“With the mayor’s signature on this important piece of legislation, interns who are especially vulnerable to abuse and structural discrimination, are among the least able to defend themselves, and are among the most in need of special protection, will be protected under the law,” said NYC Human Rights Commissioner Patricia L. Gatling.
