UCS Mission Statement
The mission of the Unified Court System (UCS) is to deliver equal justice under the law and to achieve the just, fair and timely resolution of all matters that come before our courts.
In the service of our mission, the UCS is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, and to ensuring that all who enter or serve in our courts are treated with respect, dignity and professionalism. We affirm our responsibility to promote a court system free from any and all forms of bias and discrimination and to promote a judiciary and workforce that reflect the rich diversity of New York State.
Welcome
The Office of the Managing Inspector General for Bias Matters investigates allegations of bias based upon race, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, domestic violence status, prior criminal record (in certain circumstances), age, marital status, disability, national origin, religion, military status, gender expression or gender dysphoria that affect the workplace or the terms and conditions of employment of UCS personnel, including acts that relate to services provided by court system personnel to the public.
About Us
Since 1998, the Managing Inspector General’s Office (“MIG’s Office”) for Bias Matters has been responsible for investigating formal claims of work-related bias involving any judge or nonjudicial employee of the Unified Court System.
Filing a Claim
If you wish to file a formal claim, you should complete a Claim of Discriminatory Treatment Form which is located under complaint forms on our homepage. The form should contain as much detailed information as possible and should state the specific relief sought.
You may file a complaint anonymously. If you need assistance or have questions regarding the filing of your complaint, please contact the Bias Matters Ombudsperson Eva Moy at our toll-free number 1-877-2EndBias or at telephone number 646-386-3507.
The completed form, and any other relevant documents, should be sent to:
Office of the Inspector General
Office of Court Administration
25 Beaver Street
Attention: Managing Inspector General for Bias Matters
New York, NY 10004
Or fax your complaint to 212-514-7158 or via email to migbm@nycourts.gov
Within two weeks of receiving a claim, the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters will contact you to acknowledge receipt of your claim. Should a formal investigation commence, you will be notified of the name and contact information of the investigator.
The Investigative Process
Serious allegations of bias will be formally investigated by a trained professional in a prompt, thorough and impartial manner. At the outset, you will be interviewed. Subsequently, all witnesses who may have observed the alleged conduct or who may have other relevant knowledge, including those named in your claim form, will be interviewed. The person(s) against who you filed the complaint will also be interviewed. In addition, all relevant documents relating to the subject matter of the investigation will be examined.
Confidentiality
The investigation will be kept confidential to the fullest extent practicable. The MIG’s Office for Bias Matters is committed to preserving your confidentially. Anyone contacted by the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters about your claim will be asked not to disclose the fact or the content of the claim, unless disclosure is necessary.
You should be aware, however, that to investigate your claim thoroughly and responsibly, in almost all cases your identity and the nature of your claim will have to be made known to some people outside of the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters, including, in most cases, your supervisor, unless the complaint is against your supervisor.
Findings & Determination
In most cases, investigations will be completed within 45 days from the filing of the complaint. However, compliance with time limits is not always possible due to, for example, the absence of important witnesses, scheduling conflicts regarding interviews, or the need to complete an unusually complex investigation. Whenever possible, you will be notified about delays. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Managing Inspector General will submit a confidential final investigative report for review to your Administrative Judge, NYC Surrogate, NYC County Clerk, or OCA Director, as appropriate, and that person will send a recommended determination to the appropriate Deputy Chief Administrative Judge. Within 30 days of the issuance of the report by the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters, the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge will issue a final determination in consultation with the Administrative Judge, NYC Surrogate, NYC County Clerk, or OCA Director who has the responsibility for its implementation. The determination will state whether the allegations have been substantiated. The determination will include, if appropriate, a remedy, which may include employee re-training, mediation, counseling and/or appropriate disciplinary action. You, as well as the person(s) against whom you filed the complaint, will be notified of the determination in writing. Your Administrative Judge, NYC Surrogate, NYC County Clerk or OCA Director is responsible for the enforcement of the final determination.
Retaliation
Retaliation against you for reporting acts of discrimination or providing information relevant to a claim of discrimination is in violation of UCS policy, state and federal laws (as well as some local laws). Examples of forms of retaliation may include termination of employment, a demotion with a decrease in wage or salary, a significant loss of benefits, or a transfer.
If you believe that someone has retaliated against you, you may file a separate claim of retaliation with the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters. A claim of retaliation may be upheld even if the initial claim of discrimination was not substantiated.
Pursuing Your Claim
A reasonable amount of time that you spend during your normal workday to pursue your claim may be charged to excused leave, provided you make appropriate arrangements with your supervisor, and subject to the reasonable operating needs of the court. If you have received permission to be away from your job, no leave time will be charged to your leave accruals. The MIG’s Office for Bias Matters will speak to your supervisor on your behalf if you would like help in making these arrangements. If your supervisor is the one against whom the complaint is made, the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters will make alternative arrangements to ensure that no leave time will be charged to your leave accruals.
Filing Claims with Other Federal, State or Local Human Rights Agencies
You may file a claim of discriminatory treatment concerning an employment-related matter with an outside agency. However, if you do so while your internal claim is pending, the MIG’s Office for Bias Matters may discontinue the processing of that claim.
Office Info
Managing Inspector General for Bias Matters
Antonio Seda
Office of Court Administration
25 Beaver Street
New York, NY 10004
Bias Matters Ombudsperson
Eva Moy
Phone: 646-386-3507
Toll-free 1-877-2-End-Bias
Fax: 212-514-7158
Email: migbm@nycourts.gov
