2019

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From Petterson v. State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2019 WL 367840, at *7 (E.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2019): While the alleged statements, such as “Barbara’s bush” and “sucking dick” by themselves are insufficient to show a hostile work environment, when coupled with the other evidence presented, a jury could conclude that Plaintiff was subjected…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Court Cites Derogatory Terms and Threatening Behavior
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In Canosa v. Harvey Weinstein et al, 2019 WL 498865 (S.D.N.Y. 2019), the court, inter alia, clarified that sexual harassment is a form of “discrimination” under federal law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and the New York State and City Human Rights Laws, and does not constitute an independent common-law tort.…

Read More Sexual Harassment is a Statutory Claim, Not a Common-Law Tort, Court Explains
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In Castillo v. Slupecki, 2019 NY Slip Op 29033 (Sup. Ct. Bronx Cty. Feb. 8, 2019), the court held (upon reargument) that plaintiff – who seeks damages for injuries sustained as a result of a “pedestrian-knockdown” car accident – was free from comparative fault as a matter of law. The court had previously granted plaintiff summary judgment…

Read More Pedestrian Knockdown Plaintiff Was Free From Comparative Fault as a Matter of Law, Court Holds
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In Saudagar v. Walgreens Co. and Duane Reade Inc., 2019 WL 498349 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 8, 2019), the court (inter alia) applied the “election of remedies” doctrine to dismiss plaintiff’s discrimination claim under the New York City Human Rights Law. The court explained that under this doctrine, “a complainant who files a complaint with either the…

Read More “Election of Remedies” Doctrine Bars NYC Human Rights Law Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Palaj v. Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 00958 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 7, 2019), the court held that plaintiff’s personal injury claim should have been dismissed, and reversed the lower court’s decision to the contrary. In a terse decision, the court explained: Plaintiff Sander Palaj, and his wife suing derivatively, commenced…

Read More Co-Op City Shooting Victim’s Personal Injury Lawsuit Dismissed
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In a recent decision, Wittmer v. Phillips 66 Company, 18-20251 (5th Cir. Feb. 6, 2019), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition on discrimination “because of … sex” does not protect against discrimination based on transgender status. In light of other…

Read More Fifth Circuit: Title VII Does Not Protect Against Transgender Discrimination
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In Cubelo v. City of New York, 2019 NY Slip Op 00689 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 31, 2019), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation claims. Plaintiff – who was born in Spain – alleged that he was “passed over for several promotions in his employment as a civil engineer with…

Read More Court Affirms Dismissal of Engineer’s Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
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In Akyar v. TD Bank US Holding Company, 18-CV-379, 2018 WL 4356734 (S.D.N.Y. 2018), the court (inter alia) dismissed plaintiff’s public accommodation discrimination claim under Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This decision turns on what venues qualify as “places of public accommodation” within the meaning of the statute. In sum, plaintiff alleged…

Read More Banks Are Not “Places of Public Accommodation” Within The Meaning of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Court Holds
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