Author: mjpospis

In Martinez v. N.Y. City Transit Auth., No. 15-3159-CV(L), 2016 WL 7036823 (2d Cir. Dec. 2, 2016) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court’s summary judgment dismissal of plaintiff’s age discrimination claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). This decision is instructive on the quantity/quality…

Read More 2d Circuit Overturns Summary Judgment as to One Transit Authority Employee’s Age Discrimination Case; “Retire” Comment Was Not a “Stray Remark”
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In 2015 I wrote a blog post about a Southern District of New York decision and order in a case captioned Varughese v. Mount Sinai Med. Ctr., No. 12-cv-8812 CM JCF, 2015 WL 1499618 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2015), which granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed with prejudice all of plaintiff Dr. Leena Varughese’s claims…

Read More Bullying, Censorship, and Baseless Lawsuit Threats: Dr. Leena Varughese
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In Dollinger v. N.Y. State Ins. Fund, No. 314CV908MADDEP, 2016 WL 6833993 (N.D.N.Y. Nov. 18, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s disability discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation claims. Plaintiff alleged, inter alia, “that he has been subjected to such treatment because he is ‘regarded as belonging to a group associated with high risk for HIV/AIDS;…

Read More Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Dismissed on the Pleadings; “Gay Terrorist” Email Among Allegations Failing to Meet “Plausibility” Pleading Standard
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In Sciddurlo v. Financial Indus. Regulatory Auth., 2016 NY Slip Op 08061 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Nov. 30, 2016), the court reversed the lower court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s age discrimination claims asserted under the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws. Specifically, it held that the New York whistleblower statute’s waiver provision, New York…

Read More Age Discrimination Claims Not Barred By the New York Whistleblower Law’s Waiver Provision
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In Ellison v. Chartis Claims, Inc., 2016 NY Slip Op 51336(U), 53 Misc 3d 1203(A) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Kings Cty. Sept. 23, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s race discrimination (including wrongful termination, salary discrimination, and failure to promote), retaliation, hostile work environment, and other claims. Among other things, the decision provides an instructive point regarding the…

Read More Race Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims Dismissed Against AIG
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In Szwalla v. Time Warner Cable LLC, No. 15-3479, 2016 WL 7018340 (2d Cir. Dec. 1, 2016) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the summary judgment dismissal of plaintiff’s hostile work environment/sexual harassment and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In sum, plaintiff alleged that two supervisors sexually harassed her…

Read More Sexual Harassment (Hostile Work Environment) & Retaliation Claims Properly Dismissed Against Time Warner Cable
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In Ilinca v. Bd. of Coop. Educ. Servs. of Nassau, No. 13-CV-3500(JS)(AYS), 2016 WL 6989780 (E.D.N.Y. Nov. 29, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s sexual harassment (hostile work environment) claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The decision gives us a summary of the relevant law: [A] plaintiff states a Title VII…

Read More Sexual Harassment Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; “Inappropriate and Grossly Unprofessional” Conduct Was Insufficiently Severe
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In Mondesir v. N. Shore LIJ Health Sys., No. 14-CV-6496 (JGK), 2016 WL 6952254 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 28, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s race discrimination (hostile work environment) claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. Plaintiff, a black woman born in Haiti, worked as a medical assistant for defendant. She alleged, among other things, that a manager’s…

Read More Court Discusses “Dog Whistle”, or “Coded”, Racism; Dismisses Race-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Frederick v. JetBlue Airways Corp., No. 16-1373-CV, 2016 WL 6885714 (2d Cir. Nov. 22, 2016) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s employment discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) as being time-barred – i.e., filed…

Read More “Equitable Tolling” Does Not Save Time-Barred Discrimination Claims
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A recent decision, Forest v. NYS Office of Mental Health, No. 15-3950, 2016 WL 6917228 (2d Cir. Nov. 23, 2016) (Summary Order), illustrates that not every employer’s action qualifies as an “adverse employment action” sufficient to establish a retaliation claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In this case, the court…

Read More Title VII Retaliation Claim Properly Dismissed; Discipline Per Employer Policy and “Trivial Harms” Were Not “Adverse Employment Actions”
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