Human Rights, Division of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: https://dhr.ny.gov/
Mission
New York was the first state in the nation to enact a civil rights law, affording every individual an equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life, including in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit. Under the State’s Human Rights Law (HRL), discrimination based on race, sex, age, military status, sexual orientation, disability or membership in other specified classes is illegal. The Division of Human Rights (DHR) is charged with enforcing the HRL and protecting the civil rights of New Yorkers. To fulfill these responsibilities, DHR prosecutes unlawful discriminatory practices, investigates and resolves individual complaints of illegal discrimination, advances policies and legislation that expand and/or better protect the civil rights of New Yorkers, and promotes human rights awareness through education and outreach.
Organization and Staffing
DHR operates from its main office in the Bronx and from seven regional offices in Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Hempstead, Manhattan, Rochester and White Plains, and three satellite offices in Binghamton, Hauppauge, and Syracuse. The Office of Sexual Harassment Issues investigates cases from Queens.
Budget Highlights
The FY 2024 Executive Budget recommends $28.8 million, a $8.2 million increase from FY 2023.
The FY 2024 Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 174 FTEs for DHR, an increase of 4 from FY 2023 workforce levels.
Major budget actions in the Executive Budget include $4.3 million in investments to support DHR's efforts in protecting New Yorkers from unlawful discrimination based on their protected class status, and $3.5 million for grants, staffing, trainings, conferences, toolkits, and other educational, public awareness, and outreach efforts to combat hate and bias incidents.
For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:
Briefing Book – Human Services (PDF)
Program Highlights
Investigations, Prosecutions and Hearings
DHR receives formally filed complaints of HRL violations. Alleged violations are investigated and, in cases where there is probable cause that unlawful discrimination occurred, DHR holds hearings before an Administrative Law Judge and resolves the complaint based on that hearing.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Work-Share Agreement
DHR investigates cases of employment discrimination for the EEOC pursuant to the Federal Work-Share Agreement.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Cooperative Agreement
DHR investigates and prosecutes cases of housing discrimination pursuant to the Federal Cooperative Agreement. Additionally, DHR conducts fair housing education and outreach activities.
| Category | Available FY 2023 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2024 |
Change From FY 2023 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 21,014,268 | 28,888,000 | 7,873,732 | 13,495,000 |
| Total | 21,014,268 | 28,888,000 | 7,873,732 | 13,495,000 |
| Program | FY 2023 Estimated FTEs 03/31/23 |
FY 2024 Estimated FTEs 03/31/24 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 133 | 137 | 4 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| Total | 170 | 174 | 4 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2023 |
Recommended FY 2024 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 14,996,268 | 22,870,000 | 7,873,732 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 6,018,000 | 6,018,000 | 0 |
| Total | 21,014,268 | 28,888,000 | 7,873,732 |
| Adjustments: | |||
| Transfer(s) From | |||
| Special Pay Bill | |||
| General Fund | (281,268) | ||
| Appropriated FY 2023 | 20,733,000 | ||
| Program | Available FY 2023 |
Recommended FY 2024 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 14,996,268 | 19,370,000 | 4,373,732 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 6,018,000 | 6,018,000 | 0 |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | |||
| General Fund | 0 | 3,500,000 | 3,500,000 |
| Total | 21,014,268 | 28,888,000 | 7,873,732 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 15,865,000 | 3,274,732 | 15,466,000 | 3,184,732 |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | 2,616,000 | 2,616,000 | 2,496,000 | 2,496,000 |
| Total | 18,481,000 | 5,890,732 | 17,962,000 | 5,680,732 |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 351,000 | 59,000 | 48,000 | 31,000 |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | 60,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Total | 411,000 | 119,000 | 108,000 | 91,000 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 3,505,000 | 1,099,000 | 557,000 | 421,000 |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | 884,000 | 884,000 | 22,000 | 22,000 |
| Total | 4,389,000 | 1,983,000 | 579,000 | 443,000 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 160,000 | 50,000 | 2,690,000 | 644,000 |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | 3,000 | 3,000 | 832,000 | 832,000 |
| Total | 163,000 | 53,000 | 3,522,000 | 1,476,000 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 98,000 | (16,000) |
| HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION | 27,000 | 27,000 |
| Total | 125,000 | 11,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 6,018,000 | 0 | 2,749,000 | 0 |
| Total | 6,018,000 | 0 | 2,749,000 | 0 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 3,269,000 | 0 |
| Total | 3,269,000 | 0 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 02/01/2023