Every client also receives a dedicated client relations contact who helps them stay updated and connected throughout the process. Our attorneys handle employment claims on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing out of pocket and owe no attorney fee unless we recover for you.
If your employer ignored, minimized, or retaliated against you for reporting workplace harassment, call (212) 595-6200 for a free and confidential case review.
Why New York Employees Bring Their Cases to Mizrahi Kroub
Mizrahi Kroub LLP is a plaintiff-side employment law firm built around the needs of employees. We combine experienced legal representation with clear communication, responsive service, and direct support throughout the case.
A focused employee-side practice
Our firm represents workers across a wide range of employment disputes. Founding partner Joseph H. Mizrahi spent years advocating for the rights of disabled workers before launching the firm, while founding partner Edward Y. Kroub brought nearly two decades of plaintiff-side class action and litigation experience to the partnership.
We handle workplace harassment, pregnancy discrimination and disability discrimination, racial discrimination, age discrimination, sexual assault, hostile work environment claims, wage and hour violations, FMLA interference, whistleblower retaliation, and wrongful termination.
Every case receives an individualized review. Whether the issue involves one serious incident or a longer pattern of conduct, our attorneys examine the timeline, records, communications, and employer response before recommending a path forward.
A more supportive client experience
Employment disputes are personal, and clients benefit from timely updates, clear answers, and respectful treatment throughout the process.
Every client receives a dedicated client relations contact who helps organize communication and provides updates about the case. More than 100 five-star Google reviews reflect the firm’s focus on responsiveness and client care.
What Does a New York Employment Lawyer Do?
A New York employment lawyer represents employees in legal disputes against their employers. These disputes typically involve discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage violations, or wrongful termination.
How an employee rights attorney builds your case
An employment harassment lawyer reviews the facts of your situation, identifies which federal, state, or city laws apply, and determines the strongest path toward a resolution.
In many cases, that resolution happens through negotiation or a demand letter before a lawsuit is ever filed.
The work an employee rights attorney handles on your behalf typically includes:
- Reviewing employment records, communications, and HR complaints to identify patterns of illegal conduct
- Filing complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the NYS Division of Human Rights, or the NYC Commission on Human Rights
- Drafting demand letters to the employer or their legal counsel
- Negotiating a settlement that accounts for lost wages, emotional distress, and other damages
- Filing a lawsuit in state or federal court if the employer refuses to settle fairly
An employment lawyer carries the weight of the legal process so you do not have to manage it while still working, job searching, or recovering from the experience that brought you here.
What Types of Workplace Harassment Are Illegal in New York?
Workplace harassment may be illegal in New York when it targets an employee because of a protected characteristic. Federal law generally requires the conduct to be severe or pervasive, while New York State and City laws apply broader standards.
Under those laws, harassment may be unlawful when it subjects an employee to inferior working conditions or treats them less well, unless the conduct amounts only to petty slights or trivial inconveniences.
How NYC harassment law differs from federal law
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, workplace harassment must be severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of employment.
Federal courts have interpreted that standard narrowly, which means isolated comments or a single incident might not meet the threshold unless the conduct is extreme.
The NYCHRL applies a different and broader standard. Under New York City law, an employee only needs to show that the harassment treated them less well than other employees because of a protected characteristic.
NYC courts have rejected the severe or pervasive test and instead ask whether the conduct went beyond what a reasonable person might consider a petty slight or minor inconvenience.
The New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law, Article 15) also covers harassment and discrimination claims. The types of conduct that may give rise to a harassment claim in New York include:
- Repeated sexual comments, unwanted touching, or requests for sexual favors tied to job benefits or threats
- Slurs, jokes, or derogatory remarks targeting an employee's race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity
- Mocking or excluding an employee because of a disability, pregnancy, or need for medical accommodations
- Retaliatory behavior after an employee reports discrimination or files a formal complaint
- Patterns of exclusion, reassignment, or schedule changes that single out an employee based on age, gender, or another protected category
The line between rude management and illegal harassment is not always obvious to the person experiencing it.
That is exactly why talking to a workplace harassment attorney about the specific facts matters more than trying to diagnose it on your own.
How Do You Know If What Happened at Work Might Be Illegal?
Illegal workplace conduct does not always look the way people expect. Many employees experiencing harassment or discrimination assume it has to involve a dramatic, overt act to count. In reality, many successful claims involve subtle, repeated behavior that builds over time.
Recognizing patterns that suggest illegal treatment
The chart below outlines common workplace experiences alongside the legal claims they may support and the laws that apply in New York.
| What Happened |
Potential Legal Claim |
Applicable Law |
| Fired after requesting pregnancy accommodations |
Pregnancy discrimination |
Title VII, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
| Passed over for promotion repeatedly while younger employees advance |
Age discrimination |
ADEA, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
| Subjected to sexual comments or unwanted physical contact at work |
Sexual harassment / hostile work environment |
Title VII, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
| Fired or demoted after filing an HR complaint |
Retaliation |
Title VII, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
| Denied reasonable accommodations for a physical or mental disability |
Disability discrimination |
ADA, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
| Paid less than coworkers performing the same job based on gender or race |
Wage discrimination |
Equal Pay Act, NYCHRL, NYSHRL |
When in doubt, get a case review
No chart covers every situation, and the facts of your case may involve overlapping claims.
A workplace harassment attorney reviews the full picture, including timelines, communications, HR responses, and employer behavior patterns, and tells you where you stand. That review at Mizrahi Kroub costs nothing.
If you are questioning whether what happened at your job rises to the level of a legal claim, call (212) 595-6200 to get a clear answer.
What Protections Do New York Employees Have Against Retaliation?
New York employees who report harassment or discrimination receive strong legal protection against retaliation from their employer. Retaliation occurs when an employer takes a negative action against a worker because that worker engaged in legally protected activity.
What counts as retaliation under New York law
Retaliation goes far beyond firing. Under the NYCHRL and the NYSHRL, retaliation can include conduct that would discourage a reasonable employee from making a complaint.
Employers in New York City who retaliate against workers face exposure under city, state, and federal law simultaneously. Protected activities that trigger retaliation coverage include:
- Filing a complaint with HR, the EEOC, or the NYC Commission on Human Rights
- Participating as a witness in a coworker's discrimination or harassment investigation
- Requesting a reasonable accommodation for a disability or pregnancy
- Reporting wage theft, safety violations, or other illegal employer conduct
- Refusing to participate in activity that the employee reasonably believes violates the law
Retaliation claims frequently carry more straightforward evidence than the underlying harassment claim. The timing alone, such as a demotion or termination shortly after a complaint, often tells a compelling story.
Whistleblower protections under NY Labor Law Section 740
New York Labor Law Section 740 prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who disclose, or threaten to disclose, an employer activity, policy, or practice that the employee reasonably believes violates a law, rule, or regulation, or that poses a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
The statute also protects employees who testify before a public body or who refuse to participate in such activity.
Section 740 was significantly expanded in January 2022 and now covers a much broader range of protected conduct than it did previously.
For disclosures to a public body, the employee must generally first make a good-faith effort to notify their employer, though the statute carves out exceptions for situations involving imminent danger, risk of evidence destruction, or harm to a minor.
A court hearing a Section 740 claim may order relief such as an injunction, reinstatement, back pay, lost wages, and attorney’s fees, depending on the facts of the case.
In some cases, additional damages may be available depending on the claim and the facts. Claims under Section 740 generally must be filed within two years of the retaliatory act.
Ask Mizrahi Kroub
Do I need an employment lawyer if HR handled my complaint?
You might. HR departments work for the company, not the employee. If HR investigated your complaint and the harassment continued, or if you faced negative consequences after reporting, those outcomes may strengthen a legal claim rather than weaken it.
An employment harassment lawyer reviews what HR did and whether the company's response met its legal obligations.
How much does it cost to hire an employment harassment lawyer in New York?
At Mizrahi Kroub, hiring an employment harassment lawyer costs nothing upfront. We take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we collect a fee only if we recover money for you.
If your case does not result in a recovery, you owe us nothing. A free consultation gives you a clear picture of whether your situation has legal merit.
Can I file a harassment claim if I already quit my job?
Yes, you may still file a harassment claim after leaving your job. Quitting does not waive your right to pursue a legal claim.
In some cases, the conditions that led you to resign may themselves support a constructive discharge claim, which treats a forced resignation as a wrongful termination. Filing deadlines still apply, so acting promptly protects your options.
FAQs for Employment Harassment Lawyers
How long do I have to file a workplace harassment complaint in New York City?
You generally have one year to file a complaint with the NYC Commission on Human Rights, or three years for gender-based harassment claims. Filing directly in state court under the NYCHRL allows a three-year window.
Federal claims through the EEOC typically require filing within 300 days. Because these deadlines overlap and vary, meeting with an employee rights attorney sooner rather than later protects your ability to file under every applicable law.
What is the difference between workplace harassment and a hostile work environment?
Workplace harassment refers to unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic, such as race, gender, age, or disability. A hostile work environment is the legal theory that applies when that harassment becomes severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of employment.
Under the NYCHRL, the standard is broader, requiring only that the conduct treated the employee less well because of a protected trait. Both terms describe illegal employer behavior, but hostile work environment is the specific legal framework courts use to evaluate the claim.
Do employment harassment lawyers in New York only handle harassment cases?
No, most employment lawyers handle a broad range of workplace disputes. At Mizrahi Kroub, we represent workers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour, FMLA, and whistleblower protection cases.
The term employment harassment lawyer often reflects the specific issue that brought someone to our door, but our practice covers the full scope of employee rights under federal, state, and city law.
What happens if my employer fires me for hiring a lawyer?
Firing or punishing an employee because the employee sought legal advice about suspected discrimination, harassment, wage violations, or another protected workplace right may support a retaliation claim.
Whether the conduct is illegal depends on the law involved, whether your employer knew you were asserting a protected right, and why it took action against you.
If your employer fires, demotes, disciplines, or changes your working conditions after learning that you consulted an attorney, an employment lawyer can review the timing and surrounding evidence to determine whether you may have a separate retaliation claim.
Get Answers from a New York Employment Harassment Lawyer
Every workplace harassment or discrimination case starts with a single question: is what happened to me illegal? The answer depends on the facts, the applicable laws, and how your employer responded when you raised the issue.
At Mizrahi Kroub LLP, our attorneys answer that question for New York employees every day. We review the facts of your situation, identify every legal claim available to you, and lay out your options in plain language.
If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we recover for you. You do not need to have everything figured out before you call. You just need to tell us what happened.
Reach out to Mizrahi Kroub LLP at (212) 595-6200 for a free and confidential case review.
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