Why We Need a Westchester County Human Rights Commission

Have you ever experienced discrimination at your job or in housing? Do you know anyone who has? If so, you know how difficult it can be to find redress for your grievances. Now there is a remedy in sight. Members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators are working to establish a Human Rights Commission at the county level that would have full powers of enforcement.

What We Have Now
Currently there are human rights commissions in some Westchester Municipalities. A few, such as White Plains, can be very effective in mediating and in determining probable cause, but they are limited in their enforcement powers. When they can't resolve a case by mediation, they must refer it to New York State for further action. Other commissions, such as those without paid staff, are not empowered to do even that much.

New York State's Human Rights Commission does have enforcement powers. But it also has serious limits. The state has a backlog of thousands of cases and many years. The categories of people who can appeal to the state are limited. If a person perceives discrimination because of sexual orientation, for example, the state provides no recourse.

Westchester is the only major county in New York State without a Human Rights Commission. Our nearly one million residents lack the protections our neighbors have, and do not enjoy the benefits of a countywide, local human rights commission. Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Albany counties, as well as New York City, all have Human Rights Commissions.

What We Need
A Human Rights Commission at the county level is essential - one which covers employment, housing, public accommodations and credit; which expands the categories of people who can appeal; and which has power to subpoena, hear cases, mediate, conciliate, levy fines, and so on. If a local commission can not solve a case by mediation, or for localities without any human rights apparatus at all, a county commission could provide more immediate action than the state alone can provide. Such a commission would also work to foster better relations among different communities, and to provide education on human rights issues and laws to businesses, schools and other institutions.

What You Can Do
To counteract the religious right, particularly the Catholic Church, which insists on its right to discriminate against gays and lesbians, contact your County Legislator. Call or write your legislator to insist that he or she support the establishment of a County Human Rights Commission with full enforcement powers, and whose protected categories include race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, alienage or citizenship status, disability, marital status and national origin.

If you don't know who represents you on the county legislature, call the League of Women Voters of Westchester (949-0507), the Board of Legislators (285-2800), or your own city, town or village clerk.

Print out and sign the letter of support in the Action Alert of this Newsletter. Fold in thirds, affix a stamp, and drop in the mail to the Hon. George S. Latimer, Chairman of the County Board of Legislators.

For more details on the establishment of a County Human Rights Commission, call County Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins at (914) 285-2829.

**Information for this article was taken from materials prepared by Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Board of Legislators staff, and by the League of Women Voters of Westchester. Any errors are the editor's. **