New York State Just Made It Illegal To Sexually Harass Interns, Not That That'll Stop Anybody

Anna Merlan

It's been a banner year for interns in New York hoping to get through their temporary jobs un-groped. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law a bill sponsored by City Council member James Vacca saying that unpaid interns have the right to sue if they're sexually harassed or otherwise discriminated against at work. Yesterday, State Senator Liz Krueger announced that the Senate had passed a similar bill she sponsored there, one that makes it illegal to subject interns to any "unwelcome harassment." A companion bill passed the Assembly earlier this week; it'll go to Governor Andrew Cuomo to be signed into law soon.

Krueger's bill stipulates that it's illegal for employers of unpaid interns to "engage in unwelcome sexual advances," and just in case that wasn't clear enough, it outlines exactly what those are.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2014/06/state_senator_liz_krueger_assembly_sexual_harassment_bill_incorrigible_dudes_wont_quit_it.php