Employment of Minors

• A minor is regarded as any person under the age of 18 years. This section seeks to regulate the amount of time and the nature of work minors are allowed to take up by law. Prior to 1863, child labor was not a big issue; however, in 1863, Massachusetts was the first state that mandated children under 15 to attend schools for at least three months in a year. Gradually, such child labor laws were created and adopted by all states to compel children to go to school. In 2010, minors are also required to have employment certificates.
  
  

Discrimination

• Discrimination is highly prohibited, according to the NYC labor laws. Forms of discrimination in the workplace include bias in hiring and firing of employees, distribution of work, and promotions and discipline based on race, gender, citizenship, disabilities, marital status and backgrounds. Any organization with more than four workers can be registered and protected by the City Human Rights Law and the discrimination law becomes applicable. Labor organizations and employment agencies are also bound by this law.
  
  

Workers with Disabilities

• Disability in this context is described as a medical, physical, psychological or mental impairment. The employer is required by these laws to provide means by which the disabled person can work comfortably such that he can perform the tasks required of him. The person with the disability is also required by law to inform the employer of the need for accommodation of his disability in such situations.
  
  During the job application, the employer may not inquire about the disability status of the applicant until the job is offered to him.
  
  

Sexual Harrassment

• Sexual harassment according to the NYC labor laws is where a sexual favor is required of an employee in return for employment or for the employee to keep his job. Sexual conduct causes reduction in the performance of an individual's job or the individual becomes intimidated as a direct result; it can come from a man or woman and be targeted at either a man or woman. The forms of harassment documented here may be verbal, including dirty jokes and pressure to perform a sexual act, or physical, including actual sexual touching or sex-intonated gestures.
  
  

Holiday/Sick Pay

• The NYC labor laws do not compel the employer to pay the employee for holiday or sick leave. This is because that payment would indicate that the employee was working; the employer has the option to provide such benefits. However, the employer indicates such a policy in the terms of employment, the employee has a right to demand reimbursement according to the terms of the contract.