On December 5, 2025, Governor Hochul signed the Reasonable Accommodation Anti-Retaliation Act (S3398/A4898), which clarifies the scope of the New York State Human Rights Law’s (NYSHRL) anti-retaliation provisions. The Act reinforces that it is discriminatory to retaliate against an individual who requests an accommodation in employment, housing, or at a place of public accommodations.
Previously, the NYSHRL lacked explicit anti-retaliation protections leading to paradoxical decisions where courts ruled that employees had a right to a reasonable accommodation but could be later fired for requesting such an accommodation. This Act closes the loophole and aligns the NYSHRL with federal and city law which already contained similar anti-retaliation provisions.
This Act bolsters the NYSHRL’s protections by safeguarding the rights of individuals who require an accommodation because of their pregnancy, disability, domestic violence status, and/or caregiver status.