In Joy Stewart Acala v. Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., No. 2021-05330, 617543/19, 2023 WL 8608819 (N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept., Dec. 13, 2023), the court, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s claims for employment discrimination asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws.
From the decision:
“A plaintiff alleging discrimination in employment in violation of the NYSHRL must establish that (1) she or he is a member of a protected class, (2) she or he was qualified to hold the position, (3) she or he suffered an adverse employment action, and (4) the adverse action occurred under circumstances giving rise to an inference of discrimination” (Ayers v. Bloomberg, L.P., 203 AD3d 872, 874; see Forrest v. Jewish Guild for the Blind, 3 NY3d 295, 305). “Under the NYCHRL, the plaintiff must establish that she or he was subject to an unfavorable employment change or treated less well than other employees on the basis of a protected characteristic” (Ayers v. Bloomberg, L.P., 203 AD3d at 874; see Golston–Green v. City of New York, 184 AD3d 24, 38).
“Actions alleging discrimination under the NYSHRL and NYCHRL must be commenced within three years after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice or act of discriminatory harassment” (Mouscardy v Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., Inc., 185 AD3d 579, 580–581; see CPLR 214[2]; Administrative Code § 8–502[d] ). Here, to the extent the causes of action alleging discrimination under NYSHRL and NYCHRL were predicated on acts that occurred prior to December 18, 2016, those allegations were time-barred (see Mouscardy v Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., Inc., 185 AD3d at 581; Cahill v State of N.Y. Stony Brook Univ. Hosp., 139 AD3d 779, 780).
On a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7), a court must “accept the facts as alleged in the complaint as true, accord plaintiffs the benefit of every possible favorable inference, and determine only whether the facts as alleged fit within any cognizable legal theory” (Leon v. Martinez, 84 N.Y.2d 83, 87–88). Here, even accepting the facts alleged in the complaint as true, and according the plaintiff the benefit of every possible favorable inference (see id. at 87–88), the complaint failed to allege circumstances that took place after December 18, 2016, giving rise to an inference of discrimination on the basis of national origin or disability (see Ayers v. Bloomberg, L.P., 203 AD3d at 874; Cahill v State of N.Y. Stony Brook Univ. Hosp., 139 AD3d at 781; Askin v Department of Educ. of the City of N.Y., 110 AD3d 621, 622). Moreover, the plaintiff failed to allege acts sufficient to establish that similarly situated persons who did not share her national origin or alleged disabilities were treated more favorably than she (see Brown v. City of New York, 188 AD3d 518, 519). Further, the conclusory allegations in the complaint were insufficient to state a cause of action alleging hostile work environment.
The court, accordingly held that the Supreme Court properly granted defendant’s motion to dismiss the complaint.