National EPLI coverage · A division of Thrive Risk Management CA License #6012320
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New York · State + NYC Human Rights Law

New York EPLI insurance, built for the NYC Human Rights Law.

EPLI built for New York’s two-tier exposure — the New York State Human Rights Law that now reaches every employer in the state, and the New York City Human Rights Law, one of the most protective and most-litigated discrimination statutes in the country.

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Structured for the State Human Rights Law (all employers)
Built for the broad NYC Human Rights Law & its long filing window
Markets that write New York employment risk, city and state

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New York EPLI, in plain terms

New York employers face discrimination and harassment exposure under two overlapping laws, and recent amendments have widened both. The New York State Human Rights Law now applies to all employers regardless of size, and the New York City Human Rights Law adds an exceptionally broad set of protected classes for any employer with operations in the five boroughs. Here is what that means for your EPLI.

The New York State Human Rights Law — now every employer

The New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law, Article 15) is enforced by the New York State Division of Human Rights (DHR) and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in employment. Following amendments in recent years, it now applies to all employers in the state regardless of how few employees they have, and the harassment standard was broadened so that conduct need no longer be “severe or pervasive” to be actionable. The list of unlawful discriminatory practices (§296) is extensive.

The time to report has also expanded: for any act of discrimination occurring on or after February 15, 2024, an individual has three years to file a discrimination complaint with DHR. A longer reporting window means a wider band of past conduct can surface as a claim — which is exactly why the retroactive date on a claims-made EPLI policy matters when you switch carriers.

The NYC Human Rights Law — among the broadest in the nation

Employers operating in New York City answer to a second, even more protective statute:

  • Scope: the New York City Human Rights Law (Title 8 of the Administrative Code) is enforced by the NYC Commission on Human Rights and is construed liberally in favor of complainants — broader than both state and federal law.
  • Protected classes: beyond the usual categories it adds protections including arrest or conviction record, credit history, caregiver status, height and weight, salary history, unemployment status, and sexual and reproductive health decisions.
  • Filing window: a complaint must generally be filed within one year of the last act of discrimination — but three years for gender-based harassment claims.

How your EPLI should be structured in New York

Because the State Human Rights Law now reaches every employer and the City law is both broad and plaintiff-friendly, even small New York employers carry meaningful EPLI exposure. We structure the policy to respond to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under both the state and city statutes, watch the retroactive date so the expanded three-year state filing window doesn’t leave a gap when you change carriers, and add third-party EPLI where your staff interacts with the public. We place New York employment risk in both the city and the rest of the state.

New York EPLI — Frequently Asked

Questions New York operators ask.

I only have a few employees in New York — do I still need EPLI?
Yes. The New York State Human Rights Law now applies to all employers in the state regardless of size, so the old notion that small employers were exempt no longer holds. If you operate in New York City, the NYC Human Rights Law adds an even broader set of protected classes — including arrest or conviction record, credit history, caregiver status, and height and weight — and is interpreted liberally in favor of complainants. A single employee can bring a discrimination, harassment, or retaliation claim, and you pay to defend it regardless of size. EPLI is what funds that defense and any settlement.
How does New York’s expanded filing window affect my coverage?
For acts of discrimination occurring on or after February 15, 2024, an individual now has three years to file a complaint with the State Division of Human Rights, and NYC gender-based harassment claims also carry a three-year window. A longer reporting window means conduct from years earlier can still become a claim today. Because EPLI is written on a claims-made basis with a retroactive date, switching carriers without preserving that date — or letting coverage lapse — can leave older conduct uninsured even though it is still legally actionable. We track the retroactive date and, where needed, arrange extended reporting so your prior-acts exposure stays covered.
What does EPLI (employment practices liability insurance) actually cover?
EPLI covers claims that employees, former employees, and job applicants bring over how they were treated at work. The core perils are wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), retaliation, and failure to promote or hire. Most policies also respond to related allegations such as wrongful discipline, negligent evaluation, and defamation tied to employment. Crucially, EPLI pays both the cost to defend the claim and any settlement or judgment. These exposures are specifically excluded by general liability and are not covered by workers’ compensation, which is why employers carry EPLI as a separate line. Federal claims are enforced through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and most states add their own, often broader, employment laws on top.
Why does every employer need EPLI, even a small one with good practices?
Because employment claims are filed by people, not by your record. A termination handled correctly, a promotion that went to one candidate over another, or a single comment can still produce an EEOC charge or a single-plaintiff lawsuit — and you pay to defend it whether or not you did anything wrong. Many anti-discrimination laws apply to very small employers: federal harassment protections under Title VII reach employers with 15 or more employees, but state laws often go lower, and some apply to employers with only a single employee for certain claims. Defense costs alone for an employment suit routinely reach five and six figures. EPLI exists so that one disgruntled employee does not become a balance-sheet event.
Other States

EPLI insurance in other states.

California · FEHA & PAGA exposureIllinois · IHRA + BIPA biometric exposure

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