In New York State Div. of Human Rights v. Miranda, No. 520714, 2016 WL 732195 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dept. Feb. 25, 2016), the court upheld the New York State Division of Human Rights’ award of $25,000 to each of two plaintiffs who alleged that they suffered sexual harassment while working as waitresses at Nonnopapa Enterprises…
Read More Court Upholds $25,000 Sexual Harassment Damage AwardsIn Echeverri v. The New York City Dept. of Sanitation, No. 15 CIV. 80 (LGS), 2016 WL 427914 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 3, 2016), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the NYC Human Rights Law.. This opinion is instructive on, among other things,…
Read More Sanitation Worker’s Disability Discrimination Claim Survives Summary JudgmentA Manhattan federal jury recently awarded $2.2 million to male trucking company employee Raymond Rosas and rejected defendant’s counterclaim for conversion. In that lawsuit, captioned Rosas v. Balter Sales Co. Inc. et al. (SDNY 12-cv-6557), plaintiff – a Hispanic male – asserted claims of (e.g.) race discrimination, gender discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and…
Read More $2.2 Million Verdict in Male Truck Driver’s Sexual & Race Harassment LawsuitIn Lent v. CCNH d/b/a Cortland Care Center, decided November 16, 2015, the Northern District of New York awarded plaintiff damages following defendant’s default. As set forth in the court’s June 1, 2015 decision granting plaintiff’s motion for a default judgment (which I wrote about here), In this sexual harassment case, plaintiff alleged (among other…
Read More Court Explains $1.25M Emotional Distress Damage Award in Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment CaseIn Graham v. City of New York, No. 08-CV-3518 MKB, 2015 WL 5258741 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 10, 2015), the court upheld a jury verdict that NYPD officers falsely arrested the plaintiff for “obstructing governmental administration” in violation of NY Penal Law § 195.05. Here is plaintiff’s complaint. This case arose from a factual scenario that could…
Read More Court Explains Reasons for Upholding $150,000 False Arrest Jury VerdictIn Najnin v. Dollar Mountain, Inc., No. 14CV5758, 2015 WL 6125436 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 25, 2015), the court provides some insight into how damages are determined when a defendant defaults in an unpaid wages/employment discrimination (sexual harassment) case. The court held, among other things, that plaintiff was not entitled to any back pay damages, and to…
Read More Court Explains Damages in Sexual Harassment/Unpaid Overtime Case Upon Defendant’s DefaultOn October 21, 2015, Governor Cuomo signed into law several bills, collectively known as the “Women’s Equality Act” (Assembly Bill No. A08070), that will accord greater protections to women in the workplace. These new laws will take effect 90 days after signing, in January 2016. According to the Governor’s website, this legislation “will help to ensure that…
Read More Governor Cuomo Signs “Women’s Equality Act”In Rensselaer Cnty. Sheriff’s Dep’t v. New York State Div. of Human Rights, No. 520239, 2015 WL 4757612 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dept. Aug. 13, 2015), the court upheld the determination of the New York State Division of Human Rights that the petitioner engaged in unlawful gender discrimination. The court discussed some of the evidence presented…
Read More Court Upholds Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Finding in Corrections Employee’s Favor by State Division of Human RightsIn Roberts v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., No. 13-CV-6161, 2015 WL 4509994 (E.D.N.Y. July 27, 2015), the Eastern District of New York denied defendant United Parcel Service’s post-trial motions and upheld the jury’s $100,000 verdict for plaintiff on her sexual orientation discrimination/hostile work environment and retaliation claims under the NYC Human Rights Law. From Judge…
Read More Court Upholds Jury Verdict (Liability and $100k Damages) in Sexual Orientation Discrimination Case Against UPSIn Roberts v. UPS, 13-cv-6161 (Eastern District of New York), a jury recently awarded a discrimination plaintiff $50,000 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages under the New York City Human Rights Law ($25k compensatory for discrimination, $25k punitive for discrimination, $25k compensatory for retaliation, $25k punitive for retaliation). Federal subject matter jurisdiction was…
Read More $100,000 Jury Verdict for Victim of Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Harassment