As 2016 draws to a close, I’d like to take a brief moment to reflect on the past year. Cases We have continued to fight on behalf of our clients in employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and personal injury matters. Cases we have handled this year include: Sexual harassment ($500,000 settlement) Disability discrimination and retaliation ($30,000…
Read More Pospis Law Year in Review: 2016In Nadesan v. Citizens Fin. Grp., No. 16-942-CV, 2016 WL 7177496 (2d Cir. Dec. 8, 2016) (Summary Order; Judges Livingston, Chin, Carney), the court clarified the scope of 42 U.S.C. § 1981, a federal statute that prohibits certain forms of discrimination. Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provides, in pertinent part: All persons…
Read More 2d Circuit Clarifies Scope of Race Discrimination Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1981In Scott-Robinson v. City of N.Y., No. 15-CV-09703 (NRB), 2016 WL 7378775 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 15, 2016), the Southern District of New York (Judge Buchwald) dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), but held that she sufficiently alleged her failure-to-accommodate-disability claims against individual defendants. Plaintiff, a Child and Family Specialist…
Read More Failure-to-Accommodate Disability (Sciatica) Discrimination Claims Continue Against Individual Defendants; Retaliation Claims DismissedIn Washington v. Borough of Manhattan Cmty. Coll., No. 16 CIV. 6168 (PAE), 2016 WL 7410717 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 21, 2016), the Southern District of New York dismissed plaintiff’s claims under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws against the Borough of Manhattan Community College, since she did not comply with the notice of…
Read More Court Dismisses State/City Human Rights Law Employment Discrimination Claims Against NYC Community College (BMCC) Due to Failure to File Notice of ClaimIn order to hold an employer liable for a hostile work environment, a plaintiff needs to establish two elements: The existence of a hostile work environment (i.e., sufficiently “hostile” conduct connected a protected characteristic); and A specific basis for imputing the hostile work environment to the employer (vicarious liability). A recent case, Ward v. Shaddock, No.…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Created by Co-Worker Not Imputable to Entity EmployerIn Johnson v. J. Walter Thompson U.S.A., LLC, No. 16-CV-1805 (JPO), 2016 WL 7217847 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 13, 2016), the court denied defendants’ FRCP 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss plaintiff’s sex-based hostile work environment and retaliation claims. Here I’ll discuss the court’s evaluation of plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim. Plaintiff alleged, among other things, that defendant Gustavo…
Read More Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Continues Against J. Walter Thompson; Plaintiff Alleged (e.g.) Rape Comments, Unwanted Touching, and “Bossy” RemarksIn Bogaty v. Bluestone Realty NY, Inc., 2016 NY Slip Op 08343 (App. Div. 2d Dept. Dec. 14, 2016), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s trip-and-fall personal injury lawsuit. Here, “plaintiff allegedly tripped and fell over a wheel stop in a parking space at a small supermarket located in Great Neck.” The court summarized…
Read More Trip/Fall Case Properly Dismissed; Wheel Stop Was Open and Obvious and Not Inherently DangeousSanta Claus has a difficult job. In addition to needing to violate the laws of physics, there’s always the risk of injury. This could happen in many ways, including Falling off an icy/unsalted roof, Getting stuck in a too-narrow chimney, Being burned by a lit fireplace upon descending down a chimney, Tripping and falling over scattered…
Read More Ho, Ho, Ho…Ouch! Can an Injured Santa Claus (Successfully) Sue?From Matter of Khan v. N.Y. City Health & Hosps. Corp., 144 A.D.3d 600 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. Nov. 29, 2016): The termination of petitioner’s appointment as Director of Pharmacy did not violate a constitutional or statutory provision or a policy established by decisional law (see Matter of Bergamini v. Manhattan & Bronx Surface…
Read More Pharmacy Director’s Race, Religion, National Origin Discrimination Claims Properly Dismissed; Article 78 Proceeding UnsuccessfulWe’ve seen one judge warn a lawyer not to call their adversary an “asshole” in private correspondence. Now we have a decision imposing a $4,700 fine/sanction on a lawyer for (e.g.) calling their adversary a “racist” during a deposition. In Scott-Iverson v. Indep. Health Ass’n, Inc., No. 13-CV-451V(F), 2016 WL 7320067 (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 15, 2016), the…
Read More Court Imposes $4,700 Fine on Lawyer For (e.g.) Calling Adversary a “Racist” During Employment Discrimination Deposition