2018

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In Thomas v. Jonathan Mintz, Commissioner New York City Department of Consumer Affairs and the City of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 51169(U), 2018 WL 3652302 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. Aug. 1, 2018), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s race- and sex-based hostile work environment claims under the New York State and City Human Rights…

Read More Race, Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed; “Sporadic Hostile Behavior” Insufficient
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In Suri v. Grey Global Group, Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 05627 (App. Div. 1st Dept. August 2, 2018), the Appellate Division, First Department, modified a lower court decision, finding that summary judgment was improperly granted to defendant on plaintiff’s sexual harassment claim under the NYC Human Rights Law.[1]It nonetheless agreed that the lower court properly…

Read More Hostile Work Environment / Sexual Harassment Claim Under the NYC Human Rights Law Resurrected From Summary Judgment Dismissal
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The fact pattern underlying the court’s decision in Maidana v. Boston Culinary Group, Inc., 16-cv-2342, 2018 WL 3614111 (E.D.N.Y. July 27, 2018), are (to say the least) disturbing: Plaintiff worked as a bartender for Defendant’s Fig’s Café located in LaGuardia Airport, Terminal B (hereinafter “Fig’s Café” or “Defendant”). (See Compl. ¶ 8–10.) An incident occurred…

Read More Court Dismisses LAG Bartender’s Discrimination Claim Following Alleged Customer Harassment
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The fact pattern of in the recent case of Deng v. Young, 2018 NY Slip Op 05414 (App. Div. 4th Dept. July 25, 2018) is any parent’s nightmare: Plaintiff’s son (hereafter, child) was a student at Webster Elementary School, improperly sued as Webster Elementary School District, which is located in the Syracuse City School District (collectively,…

Read More Personal Injury Case Against School Survives Summary Judgment
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Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Robert Reed recently denied defendant Paul Haggis’ motion to dismiss plaintiff Haleigh Breest’s complaint, in which she alleges a single cause of action – for violation of the “Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act” (VGMVPA), codified at § 8-901 et seq. of the New York City Administrative Code – based on an alleged…

Read More Court Denies Paul Haggis’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Claim Under the “Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act”
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From LISETTE PAULSON, Plaintiff, v. TIDAL, ROC NATION, DESIREE PEREZ, JOSEPH BORRINO, and DOES 1-10, Inclusive, Defendants., 16-cv-9049, 2018 WL 3432166 (S.D.N.Y. July 18, 2018): Paulson alleges that Tidal discriminated against her in violation of Title VII. (Am. Compl. ¶ 29.) A plaintiff bringing a Title VII employment discrimination lawsuit must allege that (i) she is…

Read More Title VII Pregnancy Discrimination Claim Sufficiently Stated Against Tidal et al
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In Abreu et al v. Fairway Market LLC et al, 17-cv-9532, 2018 WL 3579107 (S.D.N.Y. July 24, 2018), the court granted defendants’ motion to compel arbitration of plaintiffs’ employment discrimination claims under the  Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. In this case, plaintiffs alleged “that Fairway Market and its employees discriminated and…

Read More Court Grants Motion to Compel Arbitration; Economic Duress Argument Rejected
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In Ellis v. Washington, 2018 WL 3575518 (W.D.N.Y. July 25, 2018), the court held that plaintiff, who worked as part of the County’s Work Experience Program (WEP), plausibly alleged claims for sexual harassment based on her supervisor’s alleged inappropriate conduct. From the decision: Plaintiff’s Complaint plausibly alleges a Monell violation. It alleges that the County…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claim Survives Dismissal
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A recent law, New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 5003-b (effective July 11, 2018), relates to the use of confidentiality agreements in settlements of sexual harassment cases. It provides: Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, for any claim or cause of action, whether arising under common law, equity, or any provision of law,…

Read More New Law Limits Use of Nondisclosure Agreements in Sexual Harassment Cases
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In Saber v. New York State Department of Financial Services, 15-cv-5944, 2018 WL 3491695 (S.D.N.Y. July 20, 2018), the court held that the jury’s $2.5 million verdict was excessive, and held that $125k was more appropriate. The court summarized the evidence of emotional distress as follows: At the trial, Plaintiff testified that he felt “extremely…

Read More Court Remits $2.5 Million Emotional Distress Jury Award to $125,000 in Discrimination Case
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