Unpaid Interns Get Gender Identity Protection Under New York Law

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation Wednesday affirming that state law protects the gender identity or expression of unpaid interns.

The measure (S7382) removes ambiguity over a 2019 law (S1047) that banned such discrimination in situations including employment, housing, and banking without explicitly applying to interns who work without pay.

“I think it’s fair to say that the internship context has not always been reviewed closely in terms of our Human Rights Law,” said state Senate Judiciary Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D), who sponsored the bill in his chamber. “This bill closes that loophole, and ...