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Freelancer RightsKnow what you are owed, and why
RetaliationApplies in: New York City

A hiring party cannot punish you for asking for what the law gives you

New York City law prohibits a hiring party from threatening, intimidating, disciplining, harassing, denying work opportunities or taking any other action that penalizes a freelance worker for — or is reasonably likely to deter them from — exercising rights under the Freelance Isn't Free Act.

2What that means

  • The protected activity is exercising a right that the Act actually gives you, such as asking for a written contract or for timely payment.
  • Retaliation is not limited to being fired from a project: denying future work opportunities counts.
  • Conduct that is reasonably likely to deter you from asserting a right can be enough, even without a formal penalty.
  • Courts have drawn a line where the conduct the freelancer complained about was not the exercise of a right the Act protects.

3In a real case, this is what happened

In Petty v. Maison Hospitality Furnishings, payment and retaliation claims under both the City and State laws survived dismissal

U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York · September 1, 2026 · SDNY 1:25-cv-06342, Document 26

What the freelancer alleged
A remote freelance marketing contractor alleged unpaid compensation and retaliation, and sued an out-of-state hiring party in federal court in Manhattan.
What the court actually ruled
On September 1, 2026, the motion to dismiss was denied as to the New York State payment claim, the New York City payment claim, the alternative breach-of-contract claim, the City/State retaliation claim and two further counts. The defamation count was dismissed without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction.
The key reason
The court found the retaliation and payment claims adequately pleaded, including the connection between the remote work and New York.
Stage of the case
Motion to dismiss — a pleading-stage decision only. There is no liability finding and no damages judgment.

Everything the freelancer describes is an allegation at this stage. Later appellate or docket history has not been comprehensively checked by this project.

Full record for this caseOriginal decision source

In Sandles v. Magna Legal Services, a retaliation claim failed on what counts as a protected right

Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County · December 18, 2018 · CV-013330-18

What the freelancer alleged
A freelance court reporter brought a retaliation claim, and the hiring party argued an earlier administrative complaint barred the lawsuit.
What the court actually ruled
The court held the administrative complaint did not bar the suit, but the retaliation claim failed.
The key reason
The conduct the freelancer pointed to was not the exercise of a right protected by the Freelance Isn't Free Act.
Stage of the case
Court decision resolving the retaliation claim against the freelancer.

This turned on which activity is protected, not on whether retaliation is unlawful.

Full record for this caseOriginal decision source

4What matters for you

These are the facts and documents that decided the cases above. Gathering them does not decide your case, and this is general information rather than advice about it.

  • The exact request you made — a written contract, payment, a complaint — and the date you made it.
  • What changed afterwards: work pulled, invoices stalled, references withheld, threats.
  • Messages before and after your request, in their original form.
  • Names of the people who made the decision, and what they said.
  • Whether you filed anything with a city agency, and when.

5Where this applies

  • New York City Administrative Code § 20-930 contains the City anti-retaliation rule.
  • New York State's Freelance Isn't Free Act contains its own anti-retaliation provisions; a claim like Petty can be brought under both.
The law behind this right
Decisions connected to this right