New York Harassment Charges Explained

Getting accused of harassment can be scary. But don’t worry – this article will explain the different types of harassment charges in New York and what they mean. I’ll try to keep it simple and conversational, like we’re just having a chat over coffee!

First off, harassment basically means doing something on purpose to annoy, threaten or alarm someone else. There’s a few different levels of harassment charges in New York law. The more serious ones can lead to big penalties like jail time.

Harassment in the Second Degree

This is the least serious harassment charge in New York. It’s only a violation, not a crime.

You can get this charge if you:

• Hit, shove, kick or physically hurt someone (even just a little bit)
• Try or threaten to hit, shove, kick etc someone
• Follow someone around in public places
• Do stuff repeatedly to alarm or really annoy someone for no good reason

The penalties aren’t too bad – up to 15 days in jail at most. And it’s not a criminal record if you plead guilty.

Harassment in the First Degree

This is more serious than second degree harassment. It’s a class B misdemeanor, which is a crime.

You can get this charge if you:

• Intentionally and repeatedly follow or harass someone in public
• Do stuff that scares someone into thinking you might physically hurt them

The penalties are harsher – up to 3 months in jail and bigger fines. And you’ll end up with a criminal record.

Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree

This is a class A misdemeanor, another level up from first degree harassment.

You can get this charge if you:

• Make annoying or alarming phone calls or send messages to someone
• Call someone with no good reason just to bother them
• Physically hurt someone because of their race, religion etc.
• Already have a harassment conviction within the last 10 years

The penalties can be up to 1 year in jail or a $1000 fine.

Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree

This is the most serious harassment charge in New York. It’s a class E felony.

You can get this charge if you:

• Hurt or damage religious property
• Commit second degree aggravated harassment for racist/prejudiced reasons
• Already have an aggravated harassment conviction within the last 10 years

The penalties can be 1 to 4 years in prison!

What About Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors at work. It’s a form of discrimination illegal under federal law.

In 2019, New York passed a law requiring all employers with over 15 workers to give annual sexual harassment training. This interactive training has to teach employees how to report sexual harassment.

Falsely Reporting Harassment

It’s actually a crime in itself to falsely report harassment! This is considered a third degree offense.