Which of the following is a protected class under the New York City Human Rights Law that is not found under the New York State Human Rights Law?

• A. Disability
• B. Pregnancy
• C. Race
• D. Alienage or citizenship status

Answer: (B)

The city law often protects a broader set of groups than the state law, and this difference is clear with pregnancy. Under the New York City Human Rights Law, discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions is explicitly prohibited, extending protections to areas like housing, employment, and public accommodations within the city. The New York State Human Rights Law does not list pregnancy as a standalone protected class in the same way, so that specific protection isn’t found there. This makes pregnancy the best answer: it’s a protected characteristic under the NYC law that isn’t covered in the same way by the state law.

Disability and race are protected under both laws, so they don’t illustrate the unique city-only protection. Alienage or citizenship status is protected by NYC law as well, but the question centers on a class uniquely specified by the city law that isn’t present in the state law, which is pregnancy.