Hearings Tuesday On Human Rights, Fair Housing In Rockland

With anti-Semitic vandalism continuing to deface Rockland County, Legislator Alden Wolfe has proposed a Human Rights Law carrying civil penalties for such acts of bias. Public comments are invited on the bill Tuesday evening.

“We already know that both of these laws could be applied today due to the unfortunate acts of bias that have grown throughout our community and across the nation,” Wolfe said.

For example, just this week, he said, new graffiti was found spray-painted at Kennedy Dells County Park in New City. The swastikas follow a spate of anti-Semitic markings over the past few years in Rockland.

Wolfe is also proposing amendments to the county's Fair Housing Law. It, in conjunction with the Human Rights Law, would address discrimination against domestic violence victims, seniors who rely on Social Security to pay their rent, members of the LGBTQ community and veterans, he said.

The proposed new Human Rights Law and the amended Rockland County Fair Housing Law would:

• Include protections otherwise not included in state law for immigration or citizenship status, ethnicity, military and veteran status.

• Expand the definition of gender to include gender identity and expression thereby offering additional protections to transgender individuals who face discrimination in employment, places of public accommodation, housing and the extension of credit.
• Ban local employers from inquiring about or relying on an applicant’s salary history in determining the salary, benefits and other compensation except in very limited circumstances. This measure is meant to address the gender and racial wage gap that currently exists and bring us closer to pay equity.
• Broaden the definition of “victim of domestic violence” to include victims of sexual abuse or stalking, and extend civil rights protections to these victims in employment, places of public accommodation, resort or amusement, housing, and the extension of credit. State law limits the definition to only include those who are victims of an incident considered a family offense under the Family Court Act. The Rockland County Law broadly defines a victim of domestic violence to include a person who has been subject to an act or series of acts that result in the physical, emotional or financial harm to that individual.
• Prohibit employers from asking about criminal convictions prior to a first interview or during the job application process. State law includes no such “Ban the Box” prohibitions.
• Prohibit source-of-income discrimination - such as has been seen regarding Section 8 vouchers and Social Security income - in the sale, lease and rental of housing accommodations, land or commercial property.

In addition, the proposed new Human Rights Law would empower the Rockland County Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Commissioner to:

• Investigate and process complaints of unlawful discriminatory practices in the areas of employment, public accommodation, and the extension of credit.

• Resolve complaints through mediation and dispute resolution.

• Make a finding of probable cause that the respondent in an action has engaged in an unlawful discriminatory practice.

• Refer cases to an administrative law judge for decisions regarding discrimination.

• Issue decisions and orders that a person refrain from unlawful discriminatory practice, requiring them to remedy the unlawful discrimination, and pay damages, civil fines, penalties, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.

• Regarding acts of bias, the proposed law would create civil penalties in cases of bias involving vandalism, defacement, threats, etc. that are motivated by race, religion, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation and so forth. Penalties will be used to further the goals of the law.

The public hearings are set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 5, in the Legislature’s Chambers at 11 New Hempstead Road in New City.