| 2003
Annual Report Commissoner Gatling's Message |
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In the first year of Mayor Bloomberg's administration, the Commission
far exceeded expectations by successfully accomplishing its primary
goals. We eliminated a 5,000 case backlog by thoroughly reviewing,
investigating and reaching a just resolution for every case. And,
we restructured our community relations offices and programs while
integrating them with the work of our legal staff. These major achievements
allowed the Commission to focus on enhancing services to the community
in 2003. Our Law Enforcement and Community Relations Bureaus work
together, each complementing the other.
During 2003, the Commission's Law Enforcement Bureau increased its proactive investigations in the areas of housing and public accommodations to uncover violations of the NYC Human Rights Law. In the area of employment discrimination, the Commission began an analysis in late 2003 to assess the number of minorities in the advertising industry, especially in managerial positions. The Commission will weigh the merits of a larger investigation in 2004 based upon the results of informational subpoenas. The Law Enforcement Bureau has negotiated over 150 modifications for individuals with disabilities and obtained over 1 million dollars for victims of discrimination in 2003. The Commission increased its focus on early case assessment, allowing us to build the strongest possible case by identifying witnesses and securing documentary evidence at the outset. This approach enables the Commission to settle a higher proportion of cases at an increased dollar value. In 2003, early evaluation allowed us to intervene and obtain benefits for complainants on over 200 cases prior to the filing of a complaint, avoiding lengthy litigation. Our "One-Year Policy" for resolving new cases, instituted in the Commission's first year, is a linchpin to ensuring that the Commission will continue to operate efficiently and will never find itself with an immobilizing backlog again. The Commission opened its first permanent Community Service Center in Staten Island in September. We now have a field office in each borough offering the Commission's many programs and services. Staten Island also joins our Manhattan office in having an attorney on site to handle the intake and investigation of complaints. This pilot program increases the Commission's services to the community.
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The Commission is collaborating with Princeton and Northwestern Universities to study employment discrimination faced by the formerly incarcerated. This important study will also include the variables of race and education on employment opportunities and identify industries and employers who hire the formerly incarcerated. Since becoming Commissioner, I have seen how the NYC Human Rights Law can work for New Yorkers. The Law ensures equal rights for all the people of our City whether it is the disabled veteran who can now leave his apartment because a ramp has been installed outside his building, the minority couple who was able to purchase their dream home after a real estate broker refused to show it to them, or the reinstatement of a pregnant woman's job after she was illegally fired. I have also learned that to use the Law, you have to know about the Law. We will continue to increase community awareness of the Commission's programs and the many protections this vibrant law offers.
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