Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Photo: Seth Wenig/AP

Employers in New York will be expressly prohibited from discriminating against workers based on their religious attire or facial hair after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill codifying those protections into law Friday.

The bill amends the state Human Rights Law to clearly state that employers cannot refuse to hire, attain, promote or take other discriminatory action against a worker for clothing or facial hair associated with their religion.

“As New Yorkers we celebrate our diversity and we champion freedom of religious expression in all places, including the workplace,” Cuomo said. “This law will protect people from discriminatory employment practices based on religious attire or facial hair and makes it crystal clear to anyone who may still have doubts that New York has zero tolerance for bigotry of any kind.”

The state Human Rights Law already prohibits discrimination based on religion and requires employees to be reasonably accommodated based on their beliefs.

The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman David Weprin and State Sen. John Liu, both Democrats who represent parts of Queens. Similar measures have been sponsored in previous years by Weprin but failed to pass until this year’s legislative session.

“At a time when instances of bigotry and hate are increasing, it is our duty to stand up for each other’s rights and dignity,” Weprin said. “No New Yorker should have to choose between their profession and their religious beliefs”

According to a memo on the bill authored by its sponsors, the legislation was inspired in part by an employee of the MTA who was told he had to either remove his turban or brand it with the authority’s logo. The employee, according to the memo, was a member of the Sikh religion.

The city faced a lawsuit over that policy, which was later changed to allow religious attire to be worn without the MTA logo. The city settled the litigation in 2012.

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