NYS Division of Human Rights

What NYS Division of Human Rights does

The New York State Division of Human Rights is the state's civil rights enforcement agency, established in 1945 by Governor Thomas E. Dewey through the Ives-Quinn Anti-Discrimination Act (renamed the Human Rights Law in 1968). The agency enforces one of the most comprehensive state-level civil rights statutes in the United States, covering 19 protected characteristics across five protected domains: employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit. The Division operates a seven-step complaint process — from intake and investigation through probable cause determination, settlement, public hearing, and Commissioner-issued Final Order — under which it can order remedies including financial damages, policy changes, reinstatement, and back pay. All services are free, and no attorney is required to file.

Operationally, the Division is headquartered at One Fordham Plaza in the Bronx with a statewide network comprising five regional offices (Brooklyn, Harlem, Albany, Hempstead, Buffalo) plus satellite offices in Binghamton, Syracuse, Hauppauge, and Rochester, covering all 62 NYS counties. Service delivery combines a staffed multilingual call center, online discrimination and hate/bias incident reporting portals, video-conferenced public hearings, language access in 13 languages with free interpretation, the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit (coordinating 10 Regional Councils, a Response Team, and Youth Initiatives), and a Section 8 Early Intervention Unit. Technology consists of standard government case management and investigation systems with no disclosed proprietary AI components.

The Division is a New York State executive-branch agency funded entirely through state budget appropriations; it generates no commercial revenue. As of 2024-2025, it has approximately 149 employees — a more-than-50-percent increase during Commissioner Denise M. Miranda's first year — and is led by an executive team including a Commissioner, Executive Deputy Commissioner, Chief of Staff, General Counsel, multiple Deputy Commissioners, and a Chief Belonging Officer. Federal work-sharing agreements with HUD and the EEOC coordinate employment and housing discrimination enforcement across jurisdictional lines.

Name

NYS Division of Human Rights

Legal name

New York State Division of Human Rights

Website

https://dhr.ny.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The New York State Division of Human Rights is the state's civil rights enforcement agency, investigating and adjudicating discrimination complaints across employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit under the New York State Human Rights Law. It serves all New Yorkers free of charge via a statewide network of regional offices, a call center, and online portals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Rights Enforcement

NAICS

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

Keywords

• Civil rights enforcement
• Discrimination complaint investigation
• Human rights law
• Hate and bias prevention
• Public hearings adjudication

Headquarters

HQ city

Bronx

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation: Funded through New York State government appropriations as a civil rights enforcement agency. No revenue is generated from services as all complaint filing is free.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The NYS Division of Human Rights is a state civil rights enforcement agency that investigates, prosecutes, and adjudicates discrimination complaints under the New York State Human Rights Law. It provides free complaint filing, investigation, public hearings, and final orders covering 19 protected characteristics across employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit. It also operates the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, the Section 8 Early Intervention Unit, and statewide language access services.

Product overview

The NYS Division of Human Rights is a civil rights enforcement agency providing a unified suite of services to investigate discrimination and enforce the New York State Human Rights Law. The core offerings include the Discrimination Reporting Form (online self-service) and Hate and Bias Incident Form for incident reporting, supported by a staffed Call Center providing assistance in any language. The Division provides Language Access Services with complaint forms available in 13 languages and free interpretation. The Complaint Investigation Services and Public Hearing Process form the formal adjudication pathway, culminating in Final Orders. Supporting resources include Know Your Rights educational materials, Legal Resources and Updates, and specialized programs like the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit (coordinating Regional Councils, Response Team, and Youth Initiatives) and the Section 8 Early Intervention Unit. The Division operates under the Human Rights Law with 19 protected characteristics across protected places including employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and credit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discrimination Reporting Form Online form enabling individuals to self-submit discrimination complaints to the Division. The form is reviewed to determine if the incident falls under the Human Rights Law enforcement authority.
• Hate and Bias Incident Form Web-based form for reporting hate and bias incidents to the Division's Hate and Bias Prevention Unit. Reporting is safe, simple, and can be anonymous.
• Call Center Staffed Call Center at (844) 697-3471 where trained agents assist callers in their preferred language to file discrimination reports and navigate the complaint process.
• Language Access Services Free interpretation services in any language and vital document translation into the top 12 non-English languages spoken in New York State, including complaint forms available in 13 languages.
• Complaint Investigation Services Formal investigation of discrimination complaints by trained investigators who gather evidence, interview parties, and determine whether probable cause exists that unlawful discrimination occurred.
• Public Hearing Process Administrative Law Judge-conducted hearings held via videoconference where both parties present evidence, followed by a recommended order and Final Order from the Commissioner.
• Final Orders Commissioner-issued decisions that either find discrimination occurred (requiring remedies) or dismiss the complaint, with appeal rights to New York State Supreme Court.
• Hate and Bias Prevention Unit Unit offering community support, educational materials, and connections to resources for individuals impacted by hate and bias. Coordinates Regional Councils, a Response Team, and Youth Initiatives statewide.
• Section 8 Early Intervention Unit Specialized unit offering immediate assistance to Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders facing housing discrimination, before formal complaint filing is required.
• Know Your Rights Resources Posters, handouts, and publications providing information about the Human Rights Law and protections it provides, available in multiple languages and covering topics including employment rights, fair housing, disability, LGBTQ+, sexual harassment, and source of income.
• Legal Resources and Updates Reference center for Division regulations, legal guidance documents, notices relating to the Human Rights Law, and the complaint adjudication process.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Worksharing agreement (FY2022 Extension Agreement) between DHR and EEOC for coordinating employment discrimination investigations.
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Worksharing agreement (FY2021 Extension Agreement) between DHR and EEOC for coordinating employment discrimination investigations and enforcement efforts.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Worksharing agreement between DHR and HUD for coordinating housing discrimination investigations and enforcement efforts.
• Regional Hate & Bias Prevention CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 10 Regional Councils comprised of community leaders from every corner of New York State. Councils provide community engagement, educational programming, policy proposals, and hate prevention events.
• Schools and Youth-Based OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHate and Bias Prevention Unit's Youth Initiatives team partners with schools and youth organizations across the state to engage young people in hate prevention programs and workshops.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New Jersey Division on Civil Rights: New Jersey's state-level civil rights enforcement arm within the Office of the Attorney General. Investigates discrimination complaints, conducts mediations, and litigates cases under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, closely mirroring DHR's mandate.
• NYC Commission on Human Rights: City-level human rights enforcement agency covering NYC. The most direct functional peer to DHR; enforces the NYC Human Rights Law through investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of discrimination complaints across protected categories.
• Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO): Connecticut's state civil rights enforcement agency. Investigates discrimination complaints in employment, housing, and public accommodations and conducts hearings under Connecticut's anti-discrimination statutes, similar in scope and process to DHR.
• Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD): Independent state agency that investigates and prosecutes complaints of discrimination in Massachusetts under Chapter 151B and related statutes. Operates regional offices across the state using a comparable intake-investigation-adjudication model.
• California Civil Rights Department (CRD): California's state-level civil rights enforcement agency (formerly DFEH). Investigates and prosecutes employment, housing, and civil rights complaints under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, FEHA, and related statutes, making it the closest state-level structural analog to DHR.
• Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR): Illinois state agency responsible for enforcing the Illinois Human Rights Act. Investigates charges of discrimination across protected classes and conducts hearings, providing a near-direct state-level functional comparison to DHR.
• Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC): Pennsylvania's statewide anti-discrimination agency enforcing the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. Processes complaints via intake, investigation, conciliation, and public hearings, mirroring DHR's procedural structure.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): Federal agency that enforces federal employment discrimination statutes (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, etc.). DHR has an active worksharing agreement with EEOC and operates alongside it for employment cases, making EEOC the federal counterpart and broader incumbent in DHR's domain.
• U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR): Federal agency enforcing Title IX and other federal civil rights statutes in educational settings. As DHR enforces NYS Human Rights Law in education, OCR is the federal counterpart for educational discrimination in NYS.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: Federal agency enforcing the Fair Housing Act. DHR has a 2018 worksharing agreement with HUD to coordinate housing discrimination investigations; HUD serves as the federal broad incumbent that DHR complements within NYS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nyshumanrights
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/nyshumanrights
• Facebookfacebook.com/NYSHumanRights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nyshumanrights
• Instagraminstagram.com/nyshumanrights

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NYS Division of Human Rights