How long does it take for a New York State Human Rights hearing?

It's hard to predict that because judges' schedules determine dates. I am without knowledge regarding how you were discriminated but it's important to consider that "retirement" will not help wage loss damages calculations. A number of years ago a general practice lawyer, with about 40 years of experience, called me. He had failed to advise his client that it was imperative to keep looking for work and to keep a detailed log of every job a terminated employee applied for and was rejected after the "discriminatory" job loss. Mitigation of damages is key for all terminated employees. Remember that the courts tell us that employment discrimination damage awards are not a lottery ticket. What the courts mean is that every discriminated employee must prove the damages she or he has suffered. And the first prong of calculating damages is to examine past wage loss. For any period of time in which an employee was not seeking alternate employment many courts, if not all, may conclude that an employee did not mitigate damages and therefore will not award based on wage loss. During this pandemic I have personal knowledge of an employee who was reluctant to leave their job because they were of advancing age. They were certain that no one would hire them given their age. But as fate would have it, an employer from a far away state was willing to give them a remote job, working from home, earning more money than they earned from their prior employer. And with technology those possibilities are ones which I have heard about over and over again. I have spoken with and represented employees earning $500,000 as well as $50,000 pre-pandemic. And these employees have landed out-of-state positions, working from home here in New York, without ever leaving their residences, to interview, get hired, and perform jobs from home. Speak with your NYS DHR lawyer about mitigation of damages and what your best case scenario outcome might be if you failed to mitigate. My employment law reality check videos on YouTube suggest calling many employment lawyers for good reason. The Division of Human Rights does great things. But when pre-hearing conferences or settlement opportunities go nowhere sometimes it's because one or both sides have not deeply examined their positions or expectations. The judges who conduct those conferences are not ones who will hear your case. But they have witnessed hundreds or more complainants with very good lawyers lose those hearings more often than win them. Read the decisions. Both sides must be realistic about resolution. Take a look at decisions or orders of the New York State Division of Human Rights, paying special attention to the percentage of complainants who win at hearing, as well as the dollar amounts of awards. Google it. Those decisions, posted on-line, are valuable. Stay healthy and good luck.