Under a new rule adopted by the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York, effective January 3, 2010 all employment discrimination cases, except those brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), will be automatically referred to the court’s alternative dispute resolution program. The magistrate judge overseeing a particular case may exempt that case from automatic referral.
The Southern District of New York covers the counties of New York, the Bronx, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Sullivan.