October 2019

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In a recent case, Dinola v. Board of Education of the City of New York, 15-CV-8139, 2019 WL 5593286 (SDNY Oct. 30, 2019), the court dismissed plaintiff’s employment discrimination claims asserted pursuant to the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Here, in sum, plaintiff asserts that she was subjected to discrimination based on…

Read More Teacher’s Constructive Discharge Claim Dismissed
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In Naumovski v. Binghamton University, State University of New York, 3:11-CV-1097, 2019 WL 5445346 (N.D.N.Y. Oct. 24, 2019), the court denied defendant’s motion to exclude, on hearsay grounds, alleged rumors of a relationship involving plaintiff. From the decision: Defendants contend plaintiff should be excluded from offering her own testimony or that of others regarding rumors…

Read More Rumors of Relationship Held Not Hearsay in Employment Discrimination / Sexual Harassment Case
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In Ireland v. Rochester Institute of Technology et al, 19-cv-6392, 2019 WL 5538371 (WDNY Oct. 25, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s claim of sexual harassment under the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL).[1]The court dismissed as time barred plaintiff’s sexual harassment claim asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claim Dismissed; “Crude” Comments Held Insufficient Under State Law
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In Lawrence v. Chemprene, Inc. et al, 18-CV-2537, 2019 WL 5449844 (SDNY Oct. 24, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s race-based hostile work environment claim. While plaintiff’s allegations were, in the court’s words, “revolting” – including use of the words “black motherfucker” and “stupid nigger” – they were insufficiently demonstrative of a hostile work…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Secondhand “Black Motherfucker” Comment, Among Others, Insufficient
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In Ahmed v. American Museum of Natural History, 18-3295-cv, 2019 WL 5302824 (2d Cir. Oct. 21, 2019) (Summary Order), the court affirmed the dismissal (on summary judgment) of plaintiff’s retaliation claims. In sum, plaintiff asserted that defendants retaliated against him for objecting to sexual harassment that he witnessed, in violation of Title VII of the…

Read More Retaliation Claim, Based on Sexual Harassment Complaint, Dismissed Against American Museum of Natural History
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Effective October 11, 2019, the New York State Human Rights Law permits an award of punitive damages in certain employment discrimination cases. The relevant section is codified at NYS Executive Law § 297(4)(c), which provides: If, upon all the evidence at the hearing, the commissioner shall find that a respondent has engaged in any unlawful…

Read More NYS Human Rights Law Provides for Punitive Damages in Certain Employment Cases
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In Allen v. City of New York et al, 2019 WL 5450874 (SDNY Oct. 23, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s race discrimination claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This claim failed, held the court, because plaintiff failed to proffer an actionable “adverse employment action.” To survive a motion…

Read More Title VII Race Discrimination Claim Dismissed; Social Worker Plaintiff Failed to Allege an “Adverse Employment Action”
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In Downey and Bonner v. Adloox, Inc., 18‐3521‐cv (2d Cir. Oct. 24, 2019) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiffs’ age discrimination claims. This case aptly illustrates how the “stray remarks” doctrine operates in the age discrimination context. In sum, the court found that – notwithstanding two arguably age-related comments – plaintiffs…

Read More Age Discrimination Dismissal Affirmed; Termination Was Due to Poor Performance; “Old Timer” and “Young Sharks” Comments Were “Stray Remarks”
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In Taylor v. Health Research, Inc., No. 151848/2019, 2019 WL 5212862, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 33051(U) (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Oct. 16, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claims asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. The court explained that “in order to make out a claim…

Read More Retaliation Claims Dismissed; Generalized Complaint Was Not “Protected Activity”
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In O’Rourke v. National Foreign Trade Council, No. 10104, 156502/16, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 07489, 2019 WL 5232866 (N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept., Oct. 17, 2019), the court unanimously affirmed the lower court’s decision (by Supreme Court judge Alan Marin) to deny defendant’s motion to dismiss for gender discrimination and retaliation under the New York City Human…

Read More City HRL Retaliation Claim Stated; Court Cites Threat to “Make the Situation Worse” For Plaintiff if She Continued to Complain
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