New York’s two-year 2025-2026 legislative session hit its midpoint in June, with lawmakers wrapping up the first year by passing a slew of workplace-related bills that now await action from Governor Hochul. As federal labor and employment policy faces uncertainty and shifting priorities, state-level activity is intensifying across the country as lawmakers perceive insufficient federal enforcement or rollbacks in worker protections – and New York is no exception. Here’s a summary of key bills and what employers need to know.

Notable Bills Passed by Both Houses

These bills have cleared both Senate and Assembly and are headed to the Governor’s desk. If signed, they will impose new compliance obligations on employers, many of which warrant immediate attention.

Extended Anti-Discrimination and Retaliation Protections

• Ban on Credit History in Employment Decisions (S3072/A1316): Employers would be barred from requesting or using a candidate’s consumer credit history when making employment decisions. Exceptions apply for roles involving high-level security access, significant financial control, or where credit checks are otherwise required by law, among other carveouts. The proposal mirrors New York City’s existing law and would extend these protections statewide.
• Disparate Impact Liability Codified (S8338/A8699): This bill would explicitly adopt the “disparate impact” standard as a method of establishing unlawful discrimination under the New York State Human Rights Law...

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