On October 22, 2015, Governor Cuomo issued a new executive law expanding the term “sex” under the New York Human Rights Law to explicitly include gender identity and the status of being transgender.

While New York City explicitly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, transgender workers in other parts of the state had few laws to protect them. This will no longer be the case.  On October 22, 2015, Governor Cuomo issued a new executive law expanding the term “sex” under the New York Human Rights Law to explicitly include gender identity and the status of being transgender. The new law also categorizes gender dysphoria as a disability, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for workers when requested. 

The full text of the new law can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/GenderIdentityRegulation.pdf