New York has historically been known as a bedrock of
employment-at-will. Its legislature and courts were long resistant
to permitting exceptions to this doctrine, such as by recognizing
public policy "wrongful dismissal" lawsuits outside the
statutory prohibitions against discrimination, harassment, and
retaliation set forth in the state Human Rights Law.
In recent years, though, New York has significantly expanded
legal protections for private-sector employees. For instance, the
#MeToo era led to sex harassment law reforms, and the legislature
has expanded discrimination law protections to independent
contractors.
New York has now also dramatically expanded protections for
private-sector whistleblowers. New York's whistleblower law,
codified at Section 740 of the Labor Law, had provided narrow
whistleblower rights, prohibiting retaliation only against
employees who complained of practices that actually constitute a
"substantial and specific danger to the public
