NY National Guard Equal Opportunity Office

Equal Employment Program protects each of us from discrimination in employment, promotion, training and other personnel actions regardless of race, color, religion, gender including sexual harassment, national origin, age, mental and/or physical disability, or reprisal (for participating in protected EEO activity).

Who is covered?

EEO is for EVERYONE (not solely for protected groups); it’s the LAW!

If you are New York National Guard technician or military personnel, applicant for technician or military employment, and feel you are being discriminated against, please contact the State Equal Employment Manager (SEEM) office for assistance.

Here's how to celebrate Women's Equality Day

While not a federal holiday, Women's Equality Day can be used as an opportunity to educate yourself about women's history and learn about new efforts to expand voting rights. Here are some actionable ways to keep the spirit of the suffrage movement alive:

Educate yourself about voting rights. Many Americans' votes are actually suppressed. That's because numerous states have passed laws that make it hard for marginalized communities, particularly communities of color, to vote. Whether it be new obstacles to registration, changes in early voting, or stricter voter ID instructions, these laws threaten our democracy.
Learn about women’s history. There are new efforts to highlight stories about women left out of traditional history books. For example, the New York Times recently started a new column in their obituaries section called "Overlooked." The section profiles remarkable women the newspaper didn't previously cover. The Rebel Girls children's book series tells stories about extraordinary women. Finally, you can also turn to the nonprofit National Women's History Museum in Washington D.C., which has ample public information on their website.
Support women running for office. A record number of women are running for government positions in the midterm elections. If they win at the ballot box, many of these candidates will be shattering their own glass ceilings. Stacey Abrams, for example, is facing an uphill battle to become the first black woman U.S. governor. Christine Hallquist, the first transgender person to win a primary governor election anywhere, might also make history. If you really want to celebrate National Women's Equality Day, consider voting or otherwise supporting a female candidate whose values you share.

Women Running for President in 2020:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: The Army Vet

What she's known for: At 38, Gabbard is the only millennial and the youngest woman in the race (although technically, if we're gonna nitpick, she's really more of one of those elusive Xennials). She's an army vet who was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait, and she has since spoken out for sexual assault survivors in the military. Her platform centers on military-nonintervention, and she has spoken out strongly on the need to address climate change.

Critics say: Gabbard's controversies include her secret meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, her past anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, (she's apologized and has since advocated for LGBTQ+ equality), and the fact that she seems to be a favorite of online trolls.

Fun fact: She hails from the Aloha State and loves to surf.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: The Feminist

What she's known for: Gillibrand is running the most woman-centric campaign on a platform that includes the Family Bill of Rights, a wide-ranging proposal tackling maternal and child health, affordable child care, and more. In the Senate, she put issues such as sexual assault in the military and paid family leave on the legislative map. Since Trump was elected, she's emerged as one of his most vocal critics and has voted against more of his cabinet nominees than any of the other candidates. She led the call for the ouster of former senator Al Franken, who was accused of sexual harassment.

Critics say: She's reversed her past views on guns (she used to have an A rating from the NRA) and immigration (she used to be more hardline) since serving as the representative of a conservative, rural district in New York state.

Fun fact: Early-morning workout classes are the fuel that keeps her going on the campaign trail.

Sen. Kamala Harris: The Prosecutor

What she's known for: Harris is running on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All, reforming cash bail, relieving the cost of living for middle-class families through the LIFT Act, and combating the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women. In the Senate, she has eviscerated Trump stooges such as Attorney General William Barr and Justice Brett Kavanaugh with her incisive questioning. Harris is only the second Black female senator (the first was Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois), and would be not only the first female president, but the first Black female president and the first president of South Asian descent (she is mixed-race).

Critics say: The former California attorney general has been criticized for being tough on crime during her career as a prosecutor.

Fun fact: Her favorite hobby is reading recipes.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: The Senator Next Door

What she's known for: Klobuchar has a reputation in Congress as a moderate Democrat who has positioned herself as a pragmatist and reaches across the aisle to get things done. Since making her presidential bid, Klobuchar has announced an optimistic infrastructure plan and a $100 billion proposal to combat the opioid crisis.

Critics say: She's...not the easiest boss to work for (a certain salad-comb incident comes to mind), which she has framed as being "tough."

Fun fact: She announced her campaign on a snowy, freezing Minnesota afternoon.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: The Policy Wonk

What she's known for: One of the most recognizable politicians in the race, Warren has been churning out progressive policy proposals like clockwork, making her unofficial campaign slogan, “I have a plan for that.” She really does: Warren has put forth proposals to cancel student loan debt, offer universal child care, reduce Black maternal mortality, tax millionaires, make public college free, address the opioid crisis, and on and on...

Critics say: Many called her decision to take a DNA test to prove she has Indigenous ancestry in response to Trump's repeated use of the slur "Pocahontas" a major blunder, and she has since apologized.

Fun fact: She makes sure to pose for a selfie with every voter who comes her way.

Marianne Williamson: The Guru

What she's known for: Williamson is an author, activist, and Oprah’s spiritual advisor, and previously ran unsuccessfully to represent California's 33rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives (as an Independent). She is running on a message of love and wants to establish a U.S. Department of Peace.

Critics say: Are Americans ready to accept a message of love? Uh, doubtful.

NY National Guard Complaint Activity:

New York is proud to post the record of its compliance with the “Notification and Federal Employment Anti-Discrimination and Retaliation Act” (No FEAR Act):