The Human Rights Commission will publish timely news and information as it occurs.  As always, we encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Disabled Community seeks Equal Access to Public Accommodations
The Human Rights Commission has partnered with the Office of the Disabled and the Westchester County Independent Living Center to get out the message that people with disabilities are required by law to have equal access to places of public accommodation.

While this idea isn't new in Westchester, which has had its own law for years, recently passed state legislation has renewed a more widespread push to ensure that the disabled and their advocates across New York state are aware of this protection.

Under the law, places of public accommodation are required to take certain actions to assure that people with disabilities have access to their facilities. A place of public accommodation is defined as a licensed or unlicensed provider of goods, facilities, services, accommodations, advantages, privileges of any kind or where goods, facilities, services, accommodations, advantages or privileges are offered, sold or otherwise made available and extended to the public.  This includes but is not limited to hotels, restaurants, theaters, professional offices, places of entertainment, shops, stores public transportation, banks, etc.

If you are a person with a disability and believe that you have been discriminated against by a place of public accommodation, you may file a complaint. To file a claim, print, complete and forward the intake questionnaire to the Westchester County Human Rights Commission.