In October, 2005, Mayor Bloomberg signed the Local Civil Rights Restoration Act of 2005 (the "LCRRA") into law, amending the New York City Human Rights Law ("NYCHRL").

The LCRRA adds "partnership status" to the list of classes protected under the NYCHRL. The amendment defines "partnership status" to mean the status of being in a domestic partnership under the New York City Administrative Code (the "Code"). The Code, in turn, considers a domestic partnership to exist when two people share "a close and committed personal relationship" and "live together and have been living together on a continuous basis." While domestic partners must generally register their partnerships with the New York City Clerk, the Code makes clear that the City will recognize a marriage, domestic partnership or civil union lawfully entered into under the laws of another state.

First, you may elect to follow a strict calculation of child support pursuant to the Child Support Standards Act ("CSSA"). (see "How Is Child Support Calculated?"). Based on the information you provide to us, Divorce Today will prepare divorce papers which contain an order requiring payment of a child support amount as determined through the appropriate calculations.

At bottom, the amendments to the NYCHRL grant civil rights protections to individuals who believe that they have been discriminated against for sharing a close, committed relationship with another person. Individuals who believe that they have been discriminated against for being in a domestic partnership (which is broadly defined under the law) need not establish that they were terminated or demoted. The law only requires that they suffer action that is ?reasonably likely to deter a person from engaging in protected activity?.