File #: Int 1197-2025    Version: * Name: Requiring the department of investigation to investigate the fire department’s compliance with laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Oversight and Investigations
On agenda: 2/13/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the department of investigation to investigate the fire department's compliance with laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity
Sponsors: Nantasha M. Williams, Kevin C. Riley, Farah N. Louis, Rita C. Joseph, Althea V. Stevens, Crystal Hudson, Diana I. Ayala, Shekar Krishnan
Council Member Sponsors: 8
Summary: This bill would require the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) to conduct an ongoing investigation into the Fire Department’s (FDNY) compliance with federal, state, and local laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity. DOI would be specifically required to examine how FDNY awards promotions and special assignments, how it handles complaints, and retaliation against complainants. DOI would also be required to provide a website that allows individuals to provide information relevant to this investigation. Finally, DOI would be required to regularly report their findings and recommendations to the mayor and the Council.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1197, 2. Int. No. 1197, 3. February 13, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1197

 

By Council Members Williams, Riley, Louis, Joseph, Stevens, Hudson, Ayala and Krishnan

 

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the department of investigation to investigate the fire department’s compliance with laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 803 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new subdivision j to read as follows:

j. 1. The commissioner shall, on an ongoing basis, investigate, review, study, audit, and make recommendations relating to the fire department’s and its employees’ compliance with federal, state, and local laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity, including:

(a) Policies and procedures relating to promotions and assignments to special operations command units;

(b) How the fire department handles complaints of violations of laws or policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity, including the typical timelines for addressing the complaints; and

(c) Retaliation against employees who make complaints.

2. The commissioner shall provide a webpage on the department’s website where individuals may provide information relating to the fire department’s compliance with laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity. Individuals who provide such information shall not be required to provide personally identifying information. Such webpage must include a notice advising individuals that:

(a) The department may use any information submitted through such webpage for purposes of investigating patterns or practices of violations of laws or policies relating to discrimination, harassment, or equal employment opportunity by the fire department or its employees, but the department might not investigate every complaint submitted; and

(b) A person seeking to have an individual complaint investigated should consult with a private attorney or file a complaint with the New York city commission on human rights, the New York state division of human rights, or another agency charged with investigating individual complaints.

3. Within 1 year of the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision and every 2 years thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council setting forth the findings of the ongoing investigation conducted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subdivision. Such report shall include recommendations to improve the fire department’s compliance with federal, state, and local laws and policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity and shall provide updates on the fire department’s implementation of previous recommendations.

§ 2. Section 808 of the New York city charter, as added by local law number 43 for the year 2018, is renumbered section 809.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 1 year after it becomes law.

 

NAW

LS #18104/18759

2/2/25 5:58 PM