January 2015

by

What is “work”? In Gibbs v. City of New York (SDNY Jan. 23, 2015), the court held that plaintiffs’ required attendance at alcohol treatment and counseling sessions was not compensable “work” within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq. Plaintiffs were identified by their employer (the NYPD) as…

Read More Employer-Mandated Alcohol Counseling is Not “Work” Under the FLSA, Court Holds
Share This:
by

In Rodriguez v. City of New York, decided January 23, 2015, the Eastern District of New York held that plaintiff, a NYPD officer, sufficiently alleged a claim for disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law. Plaintiff alleges that the…

Read More NYPD Officer Characterized as “Delusional” Plausibly Alleges Disability Discrimination Claims
Share This:
by

In a Marchuk v. Faruqi & Faruqi (SDNY 1/28/15), a decision issued in the sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Alexandra Marchuk against Faruqi & Faruqi, Juan Monteverde, and others, Southern District of New York Judge Hellerstein addresses defendants’ motion, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50, for Judgment as a Matter of Law (JMOL). Among other…

Read More Decision on Post-Trial Motion in Marchuk v. Faruqi & Faruqi Sexual Harassment Case
Share This:
by

In Carter v. Verizon, decided January 20, 2015, the Southern District of New York dismissed all of plaintiff’s gender and age discrimination claims, except for his gender discrimination / hostile work environment claim under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). After dismissing plaintiff’s federal and state law claims, the court proceeded to assess plaintiff’s…

Read More Male Employee (Barely) Survives Dismissal of Hostile Work Environment Claim Under the New York City Human Rights Law
Share This:
by

In Fisher v. Kasten, decided January 21, 2015, the Appellate Division, Second Department dismissed plaintiff’s slip-and-fall case on the basis of the so-called “storm-in-progress” rule. Plaintiff alleges that in February 2011, he was “injured after slipping and falling on an icy condition on the landing of an exterior stairway of the apartment building in which…

Read More Court Applies “Storm in Progress” Rule to Dismiss Slip-and-Fall Case
Share This:
by

In Williamson v Ogden Cap Props., LLC, decided January 27, 2015, the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the denial of defendant’s summary judgment motion, permitting plaintiff’s claims to continue. From the decision: Defendants failed to make a prima facie showing that they lacked constructive notice of the alleged defective mailbox panel, because it is undisputed…

Read More Failure to Inspect Alleged Defective Mailbox Panel Results in Continuation of Postal Worker’s Personal Injury Case
Share This:
by

In the case of Vale v. Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, decided January 20, 2015, the Eastern District of New York held that the plaintiff sufficiently alleged various claims – including discrimination, failure to accommodate, and retaliation – under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Plaintiff alleged that she was subjected to unfair treatment in…

Read More Plaintiff Sufficiently Alleges Employment Discrimination Based on Disability (Broken Wrist)
Share This:
by

In Chiara v. Town of New Castle, decided January 14, 2015, the Appellate Division, 2nd Dept. explicitly recognized a cause of action for discrimination “by association” under the New York State Human Rights Law, codified at Executive Law § 296. Specifically, it concluded that a plaintiff alleging discrimination in employment on the basis of religion in…

Read More Anti-Semitic Comments Support Employment Discrimination Claim by Non-Jewish Employee Married to Jewish Woman
Share This:
by

Cellar doors are a ubiquitous aspect of New York City life. As illustrated by a recent tragedy in which a man who apparently fell to his death through a cellar grate at 1281 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, they can be dangerous – even deadly. Property owners are required to maintain their property in a reasonably…

Read More Cellar Door Injuries
Share This:
by

In Idlisan v. Mount Sinai Medical Center (decided January 9, 2015), the Southern District of New York dismissed plaintiff’s claim that he was not hired because of his race, national origin, disability, and conviction history. Title VII In dismissing plaintiff’s Title VII claims, the court – citing Second Circuit precedent for the principle that “feelings and…

Read More Court Reiterates That Mere “Perception” of Discrimination is Insufficient to Survive Summary Judgment
Share This: