Final Audit Letter Report on the Compliance of the New York City Commission on Human Rights with Local Law 30 Regarding Access to City Services for Residents with Limited English Proficiency

Executive Summary

Final Audit Letter Report concerns the New York City Comptroller’s audit of the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ (CCHR’s) compliance with Local Law 30, which governs access to City services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).  Local Law 30 is intended to make City agencies, and ultimately the City as a whole, more accessible to foreign-born residents whose primary language is not English. This audit of CCHR is one in a series of audits the Comptroller’s Office is conducting on the City’s compliance with Local Law 30.

CCHR is the agency responsible for enforcing the New York City Human Rights Law (City Human Rights Law), educating the public about their rights and responsibilities under the law, and encouraging positive community relations.[1] CCHR is divided into two major bureaus: Law Enforcement and Community Relations. The Law Enforcement Bureau is responsible for the intake, investigation, and prosecution of complaints alleging violations of the City Human Rights Law, while the Community Relations Bureau works to provide public education about the City Human Rights Law and to help cultivate understanding and respect among the City’s many diverse communities through its borough-based Community Service Centers and numerous educational and outreach programs.

Audit Finding and Conclusion

The auditors found that CCHR complied with Local Law 30. CCHR has developed and updated its Language Access Plan and designated its Policy Analyst as its Language Access Coordinator. CCHR contracts with several language access vendors for language access services including Langalo and Human Touch for translations, Voiance for telephonic interpretation, and B&N Legal Interpreting Inc. for in-person/virtual interpretation. Additionally, CCHR has multilingual staff that provide language access services. Through its multilingual staff and contracted language access vendors, CCHR has the ability to provide on-site interpretation and document translation in the top 10 designated languages, and phone interpretation services in more than 100 languages.

Audit Recommendations

The auditors recommend that CCHR continue to maintain its compliance with Local Law 30 to ensure that it adequately meets the language needs of the communities it serves.

Agency Response

In its response, CCHR agreed with the audit’s finding and recommendation, stating, “The Commission agrees with the audit’s recommendation, and to continue to maintain its compliance with Local Law 30 to ensure that it adequately meets the language needs of the communities it serves.”

[1] The City Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on race, color, religion/creed, age, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, gender (including sexual harassment), gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, marital status, and partnership status among other protections.