If you were just fired, denied overtime, harassed, or punished for speaking up at a New York job, you are not powerless and you are not too late — yet. New York gives workers some of the strongest protections in the country: double back pay on stolen wages, uncapped damages under the state and city Human Rights Laws, a six-year window on wage claims. But one deadline is brutal and easy to miss — a federal discrimination charge with the EEOC dies at 300 days. Before you sign anything, cash a 'final check,' or accept a severance offer, call us free, 24/7. We'll explain in plain English how New York wage and discrimination law works for your exact situation. This is legal information, not legal advice, and it creates no attorney-client relationship.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across New York.
Write down — today — the date of the thing that happened to you: your last day, the short paycheck, the harassing incident, or the complaint you made right before you were punished. That single date starts every deadline in your case, and the shortest one is 300 days for a federal EEOC discrimination charge. Save your texts, emails, pay stubs, schedules, and the employee handbook before your work login is cut off. Do NOT sign a severance agreement or release until someone has read it — a release can sign away your unpaid wages and your discrimination claim in one stroke. Then call 1-844-690-0555 free, anytime, and we'll tell you which clock is running on you and where to file.
Here's what blindsides New Yorkers: on a wage claim, this state will often hand you DOUBLE the money. Under Labor Law §198, on top of the wages you were shorted you can recover liquidated damages of 100% of that amount — plus prejudgment interest and your lawyer's fees — reaching back a full six years. That's far more than the federal FLSA allows. But the same workers who have six years on a wage claim quietly blow a different, much shorter clock: a discrimination charge must reach the EEOC within 300 days, and after a Right-to-Sue notice you have only 90 days to file in federal court. Bolt a federal discrimination claim onto a wage case and that short fuse can quietly kill half of it while you focus on the rest. Don't guess which clock is running. Call us first.
If you can't afford a lawyer, New York has strong free help for workers — including state and city agencies that take your case directly, with no lawyer required. Start here:
I was fired for no reason in New York — can I sue?
Maybe, but not just because it felt unfair. New York is at-will, and since Murphy v. American Home Products there's no general 'wrongful discharge' lawsuit here. You can sue only if the firing fits a statutory hook — discrimination, retaliation, whistleblowing — or breaks a written contract. That line is fact-specific, and a firing that sounds like 'no reason' is very often actually illegal once you dig in. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we'll help you see which hook might fit your situation.
How long do I have to file a discrimination claim in New York?
It depends on where you file, and the clocks differ sharply. A federal EEOC charge must be filed within 300 days of the act (New York is a deferral state, which is why it's 300 and not 180). A complaint at the NY State Division of Human Rights now gets 3 years for acts on or after February 15, 2024. The NYC Commission on Human Rights gives 1 year — 3 years for gender-based harassment. A court suit under state or city law is 3 years. The 300-day federal clock is the one that traps people. Call us free and we'll tell you exactly which deadline is running on you.
My New York employer didn't pay my overtime — what can I get back?
Potentially a lot more than just the missing money. Under Labor Law §198 you can recover the full back pay PLUS liquidated damages of 100% of it, plus prejudgment interest and your attorney's fees — and New York lets you reach back six years, versus two to three under federal law. You can file a free wage claim with the NY Department of Labor (Form LS 223) or sue in court. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll explain which path fits your case.
I'm a 'manual worker' and my employer pays me every two weeks — is that legal?
Often not. Labor Law §191 requires manual workers to be paid weekly, within seven days of the end of the work week, and late-but-full pay has driven a wave of New York class actions. Note that a May 2025 budget amendment softened the damages for some first-time frequency violations — early offenders may owe interest rather than full liquidated damages — so whether you have a strong claim now turns on your exact duties and your employer's history. Call us free and we'll walk through whether the weekly-pay rule applies to you.
I was punished after I complained about not being paid — is that retaliation?
It may be illegal retaliation under Labor Law §215, which protects workers who complain about wage-and-hour violations. The Department of Labor can assess civil penalties up to $20,000 against repeat offenders, and in a private court action you can recover reinstatement, back pay, front pay, liquidated damages up to $20,000, and attorney's fees — with a 2-year deadline. The case turns on the link between your complaint and what your employer did next. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we'll help you understand what counts as protected complaining.
I reported something illegal at work and got fired — am I a protected whistleblower?
Possibly. New York's whistleblower law, Labor Law §740, was sweepingly expanded in January 2022. It protects you if you disclosed (or threatened to disclose) conduct you reasonably believed broke the law or endangered public health or safety — you don't have to prove an actual violation occurred. It now covers former employees and independent contractors, allows a civil penalty up to $10,000, and permits punitive damages where the retaliation was willful, malicious, or wanton. The deadline is 2 years. Call us free and we'll explain whether your report qualifies.
Does it matter that I work in New York City rather than upstate?
Enormously. If you work in NYC, the NYC Human Rights Law (Admin. Code §8-107) applies on top of state and federal law, and it's one of the most pro-worker statutes in the country — a lower bar for what counts as harassment, uncapped compensatory damages, and punitive damages. The same facts can be worth far more in the city than in the rest of the state. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we'll factor your work location into what protections you actually have.
Should I file with the Division of Human Rights or go to court?
This is a bigger decision than it looks. Under New York's election-of-remedies rule, filing a discrimination claim at the DHR generally BARS you from later suing on that same claim in court — you usually get one path, not both. There are real tradeoffs: the DHR is free and needs no lawyer; court can offer a jury and sometimes larger awards. Don't choose blind. Call us free and we'll lay out the difference before you commit to a forum you can't undo.
My employer offered me severance and wants me to sign today. Should I?
Not before someone reads it. A severance agreement almost always includes a release — by signing, you can give up your right to sue for discrimination, your unpaid wages, and your retaliation claim, often for far less than New York law would give you. Once signed, it's very hard to undo. You're usually entitled to time to consider it, and for some age-related releases the law builds in a review period. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, before you sign anything, and we'll explain in plain English what you'd be giving up.
I'm not a U.S. citizen — can I still bring a New York wage or discrimination claim?
Yes. New York's wage laws (Labor Law Article 6) and the State and City Human Rights Laws protect workers regardless of immigration status, and you do not need work authorization to be owed your unpaid wages or to be protected from discrimination and retaliation. Immigration court itself (the federal EOIR system) and visa or green-card questions (federal USCIS) are a separate federal matter we don't handle, but your workplace rights in New York stand on their own. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we'll focus on the employment side.
Is the call really free, and are you my lawyer?
The call is genuinely free, available 24/7, with no income test and no web form. But to be clear: Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender, and the call gives you legal information, not legal advice — it creates no attorney-client relationship. If you want an actual lawyer, we can help you book a paid consultation with a New York-licensed employment attorney as a separate step. Call 1-844-690-0555 to start.
We connect New York workers facing wrongful termination, wage theft, discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower claims with licensed New York employment attorneys. If you practice employment law in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, or anywhere across the state and want vetted, ready-to-talk client referrals, we'd like to hear from you. This is a referral path for attorneys — it does not change the free information we give workers above.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
Whether you were just fired, shorted on a paycheck, harassed, or punished for speaking up, the worst move is to wait — the 300-day EEOC clock and the severance offer on your desk won't wait for you. One free call tells you which deadline matters, which New York agency or court fits, and what to save before you lose access to your work account. It costs nothing, it's available 24/7, and it puts the facts back on your side. Call 1-844-690-0555 now. Legal information, not legal advice — no attorney-client relationship, just a clear first step.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.