Overview

• Hochul spokesperson Anthony Hogrebe said the leave was imposed immediately after the June 16 complaint reached the Executive Chamber.
• Investigators are examining claims that Small inappropriately touched a state employee during an Executive Chamber retreat earlier this month.
• Small joined Governor Hochul’s team in fall 2021 after working in the New York Senate and on Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
• Since taking office, Hochul has created a dedicated human resources department and required in-person anti-harassment training for all Executive Chamber staff.
• The leave follows the 2023 dismissal of adviser Adam Sullivan and builds on reforms enacted after Andrew Cuomo’s harassment scandal to bolster workplace accountability.