Law Department Accessibility 

New York City Law Department’s Policies Prohibiting Discrimination Against People with Disabilities in Access to Services

It is the policy of the New York City Law Department to comply with all applicable laws including, but not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Rehabilitation Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law. The Law Department does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the operation of its programs, services and activities and strives to be welcoming to and inclusive of people with disabilities.

Employment related complaints for employees and applicants for employment seeking a reasonable accommodation are covered under the City’s EEO Policy.

Any member of the public who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a reasonable modification of policies or procedures in order to participate in our programs, services, or activities (involving matters other than employment) is invited to direct their needs and preferences to The Law Department’s Disability Service Facilitators by email, phone, or mail: 

Leon Breeden
Deputy Chief of Administration/Deputy EEO Officer
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007
lbreeden@law.nyc.gov

Bijan Vafegh
Assistant EEO Officer
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007
212-356-2602
bijvafeg@law.nyc.gov

Requests should be made as soon as possible but no later than three (3) business days before the scheduled program, service, or activity. Questions, concerns, or requests for additional information may be directed to the Law Department’s Disability Service Facilitators.

If you believe that you have been denied an auxiliary aid or service or a reasonable modification of policies or procedures that you need in order to participate in programs, services or activities provided by the Law Department please see the Law Department’s grievance procedure below.

The Law Department’s Grievance Procedure for Members of the Public Alleging Discrimination Based on Disability

A grievance pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York State Human Rights Law and/or the New York City Human Rights Law by members of the public should be made to the Law Department’s Disability Service Facilitators listed above.

Please submit any grievance in writing and include the name, address, and phone number of the aggrieved party, the location, date, and description of the problem. Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request. The complaint should be submitted by the grievant or the grievant’ s designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation.

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the Disability Service Facilitator(s) or their designee will contact the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, the Disability Service Facilitator(s) or their designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, Braille, or audio tape. The response will explain the position of the Law Department and offer options for resolution.

When and How to File an Appeal

The grievant may appeal the Law Department’s decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the Law Department’s response. 

The appeal should be mailed to:

ATTN: Muriel Goode-Trufant, Acting Corporation Counsel
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007

The appeal may be filed in one of two ways:

1. By submitting the appeal in writing and by mail using the above address; or
2. Upon request, by an alternative means, such as an in-person interview or an audio recording, describing the incident or alleged violation of the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, NY State Human Rights Law, or NYC Human Rights Law. A request for an alternative means of filing may be granted as an accommodation for a grievant with a disability.

Timeline Following Filing of Appeal

The New York City Law Department’s response to the appeal will be provided to the grievant in writing within sixty (60) days following receipt of the appeal. Grievant may request the response in an additional format accessible to them, such as large print, Braille, or audio recording. This response will address the appeal, describe the Law Department’s decision, and offer options for substantive resolution of the appeal, where applicable.

All written grievances, appeals, and responses in connection with a grievance made to the New York City Law Department will be retained for at least three (3) years.

Note: Upon request to the Disability Service Facilitator, this page can be made available in an alternative format.

The New York City Law Department’s Website Accessibility Statement

The Law Department is committed to ensuring its digital content is accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards.

Conformance Status

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. They define three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Our digital content is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to this accessibility standard.

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our digital content. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility issues by using the Website Accessibility Feedback Form. If you need assistance accessing a particular program or service, please reach out to Law Department’s Disability Services Facilitators at the contact information listed above.

Assessment Approach

The Law Department assesses the accessibility of its digital content through self-evaluation.

Five-Year Accessibility Plan

Local Law 12 of 2023 requires agencies to develop and implement a five-year accessibility plan. The Law Department’s Five-Year Accessibility plan can be found below.

Five-Year Accessibility Plan (PDF)