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New York Legal Rights

Strong tenant protections, medical billing rights, and one of the toughest wage theft laws in the US. Know exactly what you're entitled to — and let Main AI enforce it automatically.

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Tenant rights

New York Tenant Protections

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Security deposit maximum

1 month rent (as of 2019 Housing Stability Act)

NY General Obligations Law §7-108

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Deposit return deadline

14 days after move-out with itemized statement. Must include itemized list of any deductions.

NY General Obligations Law §7-108

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Entry notice required

Landlords must give reasonable advance notice before entering your unit except in genuine emergencies. Repeated entry without notice may constitute harassment.

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Habitability rights

Your landlord must maintain heat, hot water, structural safety, and freedom from pests regardless of what your lease says. Most "as-is" clauses are void.

✓ If your landlord violated these rules

Send a certified demand letter with the exact statute violated and amount owed
File in small claims court for deposits (usually up to $10,000-$15,000)
Report habitability violations to your local housing authority
Main AI generates demand letters and court filing summaries automatically

Employment rights

New York Workplace Protections

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Non-compete agreements

Non-competes are scrutinized heavily. NY courts apply a strict reasonableness test. 2024 legislation proposed banning them entirely for most workers.

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Wage protections

NYC minimum wage $16.50/hr. Wage Theft Prevention Act requires written notice of pay rate. Spread-of-hours pay for 10+ hour workdays.

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Pay transparency

Yes — NYC employers 4+ must post salary ranges. NY Salary Transparency Law.

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Severance rights

Severance is never legally required — it's negotiable. Workers 40+ get 21 days to review any waiver of age discrimination claims plus 7 days to revoke (federal OWBPA).

✓ Know before you sign

Never sign a severance agreement without understanding what rights you're waiving
Get any non-compete reviewed before accepting a job offer — they're often negotiable
Wage theft has a statute of limitations — file within 2-3 years
Main AI analyzes your offer letter, NDA, and severance in under 60 seconds

Medical billing rights

New York Healthcare Protections

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Itemized bill rights

Surprise billing banned under NY law (predates federal law). Hospital financial assistance programs mandatory. 30-day dispute window.

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Surprise billing protection

The federal No Surprises Act (2022) caps out-of-network emergency bills at in-network rates. You cannot be balance-billed for emergency care or care at in-network facilities without prior written consent.

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Dispute window

You typically have 30-120 days from your Explanation of Benefits to dispute a bill. Request itemization and dispute duplicate charges, upcoding, and services never received.

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Financial assistance

Nonprofit hospitals must offer charity care programs and cannot charge more than the ACA benchmark amounts to patients who qualify. Always ask before paying.

✓ If your bill looks wrong

Request an itemized bill immediately — they must provide it
Cross-reference CPT codes against your Explanation of Benefits
Dispute duplicate charges and services never received in writing within 30 days
Main AI reads your medical bill and flags every suspicious charge automatically

Common questions

New York Rights FAQ

My landlord hasn't returned my deposit after 15 days. What happens?+

Under NY law (§7-108), landlords have 14 days to return your deposit with an itemized statement. After 14 days, they forfeit the right to make ANY deductions and must return the full amount. Send a demand letter immediately.

Is my non-compete enforceable in New York?+

NY courts apply a strict test: the restriction must be reasonable in time, geography, and scope. Many non-competes fail this test. Courts frequently void them if they cover too broad an area or too long a time period.

I got a surprise medical bill. What are my rights?+

New York banned surprise billing before the federal No Surprises Act. You cannot be billed out-of-network rates for emergency care or care at in-network facilities. File a complaint with the NY Department of Financial Services if billed improperly.

What is the Wage Theft Prevention Act?+

NY employers must give written notice of your pay rate, pay period, and employer info at hire and annually. Failure means $50/day in penalties up to $5,000. If you're paid less than agreed, you can file with the NY Department of Labor.

Main AI enforces your New York rights automatically.

Upload any document — lease, offer letter, medical bill, severance agreement. Main AI reads it, flags every violation, cites the exact New York statute, and prepares everything ready to send.

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