Attention NYC Employers: Family Planning Now Protected Under NYC Human Rights Law

Important Compliance Notice For New York City Employers

The New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) was expanded to include protections for family planning decisions. The law became effective May 20, 2019. It applies to companies with 4 or more employees.

Under the new law, sexual and reproductive health decisions are defined as ‘any decision by an individual to receive services, which are arranged for or offered or provided to individuals relating to sexual and reproductive health, including the reproductive system and its functions.’

This includes:

• fertility-related medical procedures
• sexually transmitted disease prevention, testing, and treatment
• family planning services and counseling including birth control drugs and supplies, emergency contraception, sterilization procedures, pregnancy testing, and abortion

NOTE: It does not require covered employers to provide specific reproductive health benefits. It is designed to protect employees from discrimination based on their sexual and reproductive health choices.

What Do I Need To Do?

You will need to update all equal employment opportunity (EEOC) notices and policies. This include recruitment marketing, applicant communications, and your employee handbook.

1. Revise:

• Employment applications
• Job descriptions
• Job postings
• Employee handbooks
• Interview scripts
• Any other documentation that describes protection from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation

2. Describe the new protections as ‘sexual and other reproductive health decisions.’

3. Educate your hiring team, HR staff, and managers on changes made to company policies.

If you use recruiting agencies/headhunters, it’s a good idea to contact them about this change. You want to verify that they are aware of the new law and have reviewed their policies. This is especially important if they are located outside of New York City.

Applicant Tracking Systems Simplify Compliance

Following local, state, and federal employment regulations is difficult without HR software. Compliance can be one of the most stressful aspects of the recruiting process. There is no margin for error.

If you aren’t currently using an applicant tracking system (ATS), it’s a perfect time to start. ApplicantStack recruiting and onboarding software streamlines compliance with workplace laws.

ApplicantStack helps you document and maintain compliant hiring and onboarding practices. When laws change, you can update your hiring and onboarding materials quickly.

We have a comprehensive HR solution as well. WorkforceHUB from SwipeClock is a unified Human Resources portal that allows you to manage all core HR processes. It includes ApplicantStack recruiting and onboarding tools.

Create and manage compliant:

1. Applications & screening questionnaires
2. Job descriptions
3. Structured interviewing questions
4. Onboarding documents
5. Staff training materials
6. Employee handbooks

ApplicantStack can be customized for city, state, or federal employment laws. Whether you live in New York, Tulsa, or Chicago, we help you manage your business legally and efficiently.