According to her employer Mrs. Hobbs, what was Ellen's status in New York? She was a free young woman she was "given" to Mr Hobbs daughter O she was an indentured servant she was a runaway slave

She was a free young woman.

Explanation:

Harriet Jacob's "Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl" is a memoir that provides a narrative in the life of a slave woman. The book delves into the system of slavery, and how Linda( protagonist and a pseudonym for Harriet) had to endure hardships and obstacles to be united with her family amidst her fight for personal freedom and family life.

Mrs. Hobbs is the cousin of Mr. Sands, the father of Linda's children. In chapter XXVII, Mrs. Hobb's letter to Linda's grandmother revealed that Linda's daughter Ellen was "given" to her, to be "[her] little waiting maid". She went on further to state the condition of Ellen's 'presence' in the Hobbs' house, revealing: "I shall send her to school, and I hope someday she will write to you herself."

This shows that Ellen was 'given' to Mrs. Hobbs but that doesn't mean she is a slave and Mrs. Hobbs liked to believe that she is rather a free young woman while still under them.