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Today, June 30, 2019 (the last day of Pride Month), thousands (millions?) of people showed their pride by marching to celebrate LGBT rights. This has a special significance this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. While LGBT rights have advanced significantly since 1969 – including an amendment to the New York…
Read More NYC Celebrates LGBT Pride
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In Latif v. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 2019 WL 2610985 (SDNY June 26, 2019), the court held that plaintiff’s claims of employment discrimination were subject to mandatory arbitration. In this case, plaintiff “alleges that, beginning in the fall of 2017, he became the target of, inter alia, inappropriate comments regarding his sexual orientation, inappropriate…
Read More Arbitration Compelled in Sexual Harassment Case, Notwithstanding New State Law
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In Matter of James v. New York City Dept. of Corr., 2019 NY Slip Op 31748(U), 158147/2018 (NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. June 19, 2019), the court held that the petitioner, a corrections officer, failed to demonstrate that the Firearms Review Board’s denial of his application to carry a firearm was arbitrary and capricious and…
Read More Firearm Application Denial Not Discriminatory, Court Holds
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In Lord v. Marilyn Model Mgt., Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 05093 (App. Div. 1st Dept. June 25, 2019), the court reversed the lower court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s claim for breach of contract arising from defendant’s failure to pay him severance. The facts, as summarized by the court: As alleged in the complaint, plaintiff was…
Read More Modeling Scout Sufficiently Alleges Claims Relating to Failure to Pay Severance, First Department Holds
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From Solomon v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al, 2019 WL 2601794 (E.D.N.Y., 2019): Solomon “seeks permission to amend his complaint to add counts of discrimination on account of gender in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and of a denial to his right of access to a place of public accommodation…
Read More Whole Foods Customer Ban Upheld; Motion to Add Title II Gender-Based Public Accommodation Claim Denied on Ground of Futility
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In a recent complaint, captioned Torre et al v. Charter Communications, 19-cv-5708 and filed in the Southern District of New York,, plaintiffs assert gender and age discrimination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws and the federal and New York Equal Pay laws.
Read More Gender/Age Discrimination Lawsuit Against Charter Communications / NY1
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One prominent memory from my One-L torts class is the professor telling us “the railroad always wins.” This was his tongue-in-cheek summary of ancient cases we were studying which involved tort/negligence lawsuits by injured persons against railroads. The explanation for what seemed like overwhelmingly railroad-friendly results in these cases was that the perception of a…
Read More MTA Metro North Conductor’s FELA Claim, Arising From Alleged Passenger Assault, Survives Summary Judgment
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In Cruz v. G-Star Inc. et al, 17-CV-7685, 2019 WL 2521299 (S.D.N.Y. June 19, 2019), an employment discrimination case involving (inter alia) allegations of sexual harassment, the court imposed sanctions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(e) on defendants for engaging in spoliation of evidence (electronically-stored information, or ESI). From the decision: Here, the circumstances…
Read More Court Imposes Spoliation Sanctions in Sexual Harassment Case
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In Osuan v. City of New York et al, 2019 WL 2544866, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. June 20, 2019), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim of retaliation under 42 U.S.C. 1981. From the decision: Here, Osuan lodged a complaint with human resources about Martin’s behavior and was terminated without explanation only…
Read More Section 1981 Retaliation Claim Sufficiently Alleged; Termination Two Weeks After HR Complaint Plausibly Indicated Causation
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On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, the New York State Legislature passed changes to state law regarding employment discrimination in general and sexual harassment in particular. In sum, the law (A8421 / S6577; version showing deletions/additions here), among other things: Provides increased protections for protected classes and special protections for employees who have been sexually harassed;…
Read More Legislature Passes Sweeping Amendments to NYS Human Rights Law