On June 28, 2016, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation amending the City’s administrative code, plumbing code and building code to require gender-neutral single-occupant restrooms.
The new law applies to businesses and other establishments in all of New York City’s five boroughs with existing single-occupancy, publicly accessible restrooms. Beginning January 1, 2017, these public, single-occupancy restrooms will have to become unisex. Meaning, the single-occupancy restrooms cannot be gender specific or labeled for one gender. Signs which currently state “men” or “women” must be replaced with a neutral sign.
The law does not require businesses to build new single-occupant restrooms if they do not currently have them. In addition, larger restrooms with multiple single-stalls will not have to be changed to become neutral.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact an attorney at Franklin, Gringer & Cohen, P.C.
“Gender-Neutral Restrooms a New York City Requirement” was written by Jasmine Y. Patel
Jasmine Y. Patel primarily focuses her practice on labor and employment law. She also has experience in the area of commercial litigation.
Jasmine is a graduate of Rutgers University where she received a Rutgers National Scholarship and was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society. She is also a graduate of Hofstra University School of Law, where she was a member of the Journal of International Business and Law and the Moot Court Board.
Jasmine is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association of New York. She is admitted to practice law in the states of New York and New Jersey, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Jasmine has also been involved in presenting a continuing legal education seminar for about 20 attorneys on November 5, 2015, titled “2015 Labor and Employment Law Updated.”
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