The Commission’s Law Enforcement Bureau (LEB) enforces the NYC Human Rights Law. LEB is responsible for the intake, investigation, and prosecution of complaints alleging violations of the Law.

The number of new cases the Commission filed in 2007 was 317, bringing the total caseload to approximately 510. In addition, the Commission successfully resolved 186 allegations of discrimination through pre-complaint intervention. Pre-complaint intervention assures a speedy resolution without the necessity of filing a complaint, avoiding costly and lengthy litigation.

An example of a pre-complaint intervention involved a disabled individual who could not attend a major sports event unless she paid for expensive seating. The Commission was made aware of her situation while conducting a Human Rights presentation at a hospital’s rehabilitation center. The Commission immediately intervened and successfully negotiated a change in the stadium’s seating policy. The new policy went into effect in time for the event and provides for accessible seating at all price-levels.

LEB also intervened on behalf of 12 disabled residents of a Bensonhurst building and successfully negotiated that the owner provide regular maintenance to the elevator in lieu of shutting it down for 3 months for questionable repairs. The lengthy shutdown would have made those residents prisoners in their own apartments.

Additionally, LEB successfully intervened on behalf of a youngster who is hard of hearing and negotiated that a Manhattan museum’s screening room be made hearing accessible. The museum also hired a full-time access coordinator to ensure disability compliance in all areas of the museum, trained tour guides to accommodate everyone in the tour, and printed museum flyers in Braille.

In addition to the 186 allegations resolved through pre-complaint intervention, the Commission resolved 350 filed cases in 2007. The Commission’s two-pronged approach - an intensive initial interview of the complainant followed by an immediate investigation of the facts alleged - provides investigators with a greater ability to gather evidence, identify witnesses, and build the strongest case. This successful approach is responsible for the significant increase in Probable Cause Determinations and Settlements since 2002.

During 2007, 402 of the 510 pending cases at the Commission were under one year old as compared to just 14% of the total amount at the beginning of this administration. In 2007, there were no cases seven years or older as compared to 2002, when there were 1,500 cases at the Commission seven years or older. The overall reduction in cases since 2002 has given investigators the ability to focus on current cases and not be burdened with overwhelming caseloads.

ORDERS
In 2007, the Commission issued one posttrial Order wherein the Commission ordered an employment agency to pay a $5,000 fine to the City and $1,000 in compensatory damages to a complainant, who was refused employment based on her age.

FINES
In 2007, the Commission issued one posttrial Order wherein the Commission ordered an employment agency to pay a $5,000 fine to the City and $1,000 in compensatory damages to a complainant, who was refused employment based on her age.

SETTLEMENTS
In 2007, the Commission issued one posttrial Order wherein the Commission ordered an employment agency to pay a $5,000 fine to the City and $1,000 in compensatory damages to a complainant, who was refused employment based on her age.

EQUAL ACCESS
The Commission continues to expand its Equal Access Program. In conjunction with LEB, CRB staff regularly conducts investigations and provides pre-complaint intervention when individuals experience accessibility problems. As a result, CRB staff successfully negotiated 147 modifications during 2007 through pre-complaint intervention and LEB negotiated an additional 30 modifications. Modifications include: installing permanent and portable ramps – both interior and exterior - bell and buzzer systems for entry to stores, offices, and apartment buildings, hand rails, grab bars, curb cuts, accessible ATM machines and teller windows, and accessible fitting rooms and bathrooms; widening of aisles; signage, permitting service animals in public accommodations; moving a family to a ground floor apartment -- making entry and exit to and from the building accessible; moving an individual to an accessible location while the elevator was under repair; providing listening devices for the hard of hearing in a theater; and changing a seating policy at a major annual sports tournament to add disability seating in all price levels. The Equal Access Program also provides extensive public education to senior citizens, the disabled community and advocates, healthcare and housing providers, and community members.

LEB STAFF
The Law Enforcement Bureau consists of 17 attorneys, 7 Human Rights Specialists - including one retired NYPD officer - and 4 support staff members.