UNPAID INTERNS IN NEW YORK CITY NOW PROTECTED AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Recently, the New York City Council unanimously voted to pass an amendment to the New York City Human Rights Law, which will protect unpaid interns from sexual harassment and discrimination.

  This amendment was prompted by a 2013 decision, which held that an unpaid intern at Phoenix Satellite Television, could not bring a sexual harassment suit because she was not a paid employee.   This bill is expected to be signed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
 

Upon signing, New York City will become one of the only cities in the country, along with Washington D.C., to have explicit provisions protecting unpaid workers.