New Yorkers Can Now File Reports of Discrimination Over the Phone by Dialing (844) NYS-DHR1 or (844) 697-3471 

Trained Agents Provide Real-Time Support to New Yorkers Seeking to File a Discrimination Complaint Under the State’s Human Rights Law 

Improved Online Discrimination Reporting Form Makes Filing Easier and More Efficient 

Call Center and Improved Online Form Builds on the Creation of the Division’s Intake Unit as Part of a Broader Modernization Effort to Overhaul the Division’s Operational Efficiency  

The New York State Division of Human Rights today announced the launch of a new call center allowing New Yorkers to file a discrimination report over the phone with a call center agent for the first time in the Division’s history by dialing (844) NYS-DHR1 or (844) 697-3471. The call center is staffed by trained professionals who will provide real-time interaction to callers and process reports of discrimination on their behalf. This critical enhancement to the Division’s complaint intake process will reduce paperwork for New Yorkers, increase access to live support, and make the agency’s intake procedures more efficient. The call center initiative launched today is part of a wholesale effort, led by Commissioner Denise M. Miranda, Esq. to modernize and improve all aspects of the Division’s operations and complaint management processes.     

“The Division’s modernization efforts create a stronger, bolder, and more efficient delivery of necessary resources for New Yorkers seeking support in the face of discrimination,” New York State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Denise M. Miranda, Esq. said. “The Division’s new call center and updated discrimination reporting form are strengthening the Division’s ability to protect the rights of every New Yorker at a time when protecting human rights has never been more critical.” 

Call Center 

The Division today announced the launch of a new resource for New Yorkers who believe they have experienced discrimination—an intake call center allowing individuals to file reports of discrimination over the phone. The Division's call center provides a live agent ready to listen to what a New Yorker has experienced, and who will then file a discrimination report form on the caller’s behalf. This will save New Yorkers time by reducing the paperwork burden associated with initiating the complaint process; it will also make filing easier and clearer by providing real-time assistance from a trained professional. Reporting discrimination to the Division of Human Rights is free, and inidividuals do not need an attorney to submit a report or file a complaint. Plus, the call center representatives are equipped to provide free interpretation services to callers who speak a language other than English.  

When someone contacts the Division’s intake call center to report discrimination, they will be connected with a trained agent who will ask the caller to explain what happened and why they believe they were discriminated against. The agent may ask follow-up questions to clarify details and get more information. The agent will document the information shared during this phone call and then process it as a discrimination report—the first step in the agency’s complaint intake procedure. After the discrimination report is filed over the phone, the caller will receive an emailed copy, and another copy will be routed to the Division’s dedicated Intake Unit for further review and to assist individuals in finalizing and filing a formal complaint. Additional details about the Division’s complaint filing and investigatory processes can be found here. 

Improved Online Discrimination Reporting Form 

As part of the Division’s effort to modernize and simplify its complaint management process, the agency has also introduced an improved online discrimination reporting form. This new online form is designed to make it easier for New Yorkers to navigate the filing process and submit clear, complete reports of discrimination that can be reviewed by the Division in an efficient manner. 

Organizational Changes and Operational Improvements 

The reporting process announcements build on extensive efforts underway to reorganize and revitalize the New York State Division of Human Rights under the leadership of Commissioner Denise M. Miranda, Esq. These efforts are supported by Governor Hochul’s historic investments in the agency—the Governor has more than doubled the Division’s funding during her time in office, including an $11 million increase in the FY2026 Enacted Budget. 

In April 2025, the Division established a dedicated Intake Unit to oversee the proper receipt and processing of all reports of discrimination filed with the Division. The unit follows a standardized process to determine whether each report of discrimination submitted to the Division is within the agency’s jurisdiction and whether each case contains all information necessary to be properly filed with the Division and assigned to an investigator. In circumstances where additional information is needed from someone filing a report of discrimination, Intake Unit staff will work directly with those individuals to gather the necessary details before finalizing their report, serving the complaint on respondents, and assigning the case to an investigator. This improved intake process is critical to ensuring that all complaints are investigated as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

In addition to the new Intake Unit, the Division has launched an Internal Audit Unit, a Training Unit, and a Solutions Development Unit. The Internal Audit Unit is focused on identifying opportunities to strengthen controls and improve operations across the agency. The Training Unit provides comprehensive, consistent, and ongoing training for all agency staff, including specialized training for agency investigators to ensure that all investigatory staff throughout the state carry out their work in a fair, efficient, and consistent manner. The Solutions Development Unit leverages data to track agency operations and identify opportunities for strategic initiatives to improve all the agency’s intake and adjudicatory processes. Together, these new units significantly improve all aspects of agency operations. 

Since Commissioner Miranda’s appointment in March 2024, the Division has increased staffing levels agencywide by more than 50 percent, including the addition of 50 new investigators to review complaints submitted by New Yorkers facing discrimination. The Division has also initiated important technology upgrades, including working with the Office of Information Technology Services to develop and launch an improved online form for reporting discrimination to the Division. 

Additionally, the Commissioner has expanded education and outreach initiatives, including the launch of the Division’s “Call Out Hate” campaign, which has been displayed throughout New York City Subway, Metro-North, and Long Island Rail Road train cars and transit stations. The campaign condemns all forms of hate and encourages New Yorkers to report incidents of hate or bias to the Division’s Hate and Bias Prevention Unit by calling (844) NO-2-HATE or by visiting HBPU online.  

About the New York State Division of Human Rights  

The New York State Division of Human Rights is dedicated to eliminating discrimination, remedying injustice, and promoting equal opportunity, access, and dignity.  

Anyone who believes they have experienced discrimination can report it to the Division. If it is under the Division’s authority and jurisdiction, Division staff will investigate and adjudicate the case. Throughout this process, the Division is a neutral factfinder representing the interests of the State—not functioning as an advocate or attorney on behalf of either complainants or respondents. All of the Division’s procedures are conducted free of charge, and members of the public are not required to have an attorney to file a complaint.  

The Division’s work shows that New York State will make violators of the law pay. During the Division’s 2024 Fiscal Year, the agency awarded more than $8 million in compensation to complainants who experienced discrimination. The Division can also order a wide range of additional remedies—including, for example, reinstatement to a job; back pay with interest and benefits; changes in organizational policies; and a variety of other forms of compensation and remediation.  

The Division of Human Rights is also empowered by law to investigate and file complaints in cases of systematic patterns of discrimination through its Division Initiated Action Unit (DIAU). The DIAU can, upon its own motion, initiate investigations and file complaints alleging violations of the state anti-discrimination law. Individuals can report systemic issues of discrimination by emailing the Division at tips@dhr.ny.gov.  

For more information about the law or to report discrimination, please visit dhr.ny.gov, and follow the Division of Human Rights on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, X, and YouTube.