Below is a recently-filed complaint alleging race discrimination and retaliation against Mercedes Benz of Manhattan, its general manager, and its director of human resources. Plaintiffs Guyton and Grammer, two African Americans who held high-level managerial positions, claimed that after encountering and complaining about racist graffiti – consisting of a swastika, a stick figure hanging from a…
Read More Race Discrimination Lawsuit Against MercedesIn MacMillan v. Millenium Broadway Hotel (SDNY June 11, 2012), the Southern District of New York found that the plaintiff successfully proved that he was subject to a racially hostile work environment. While at work plaintiff encountered a voodoo doll with a “black face and pink lips” hanging from a bulletin board by a rope around…
Read More “Voodoo Doll Lynching” Race Discrimination Verdict UpheldIn Townsend v. Benjamin Enterprises (May 9, 2012), the Second Circuit – addressing two issues of first impression – held that (1) an internal complaint unconnected with an EEOC charge does not give rise to a retaliation claim under Title VII’s “participation” clause and (2) harassment by a company’s proxy or alter-ego deprives the company…
Read More Second Circuit Weighs in on Scope of Title VII Retaliation Claims and Proxy / Alter-Ego LiabilityIn a Southern District of New York complaint, captioned Earl E. Brown v. AIG Investments and John P. Hornbostel, SDNY 12-cv-3243 (4/25/2012), plaintiff, an attorney, alleges claims of race discrimination and retaliation against AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp. and managing director John Hornbostel. Among other things, plaintiff asserts that Hornbostel made disparaging comments about African Americans,…
Read More Hey Hey Hey! “Fat Albert” & Other Comments Give Rise to Race Discrimination LawsuitToday the EEOC issued its Enforcement Guidance on the consideration of arrest and conviction records in employment decisions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Unlike New York law, federal law does not specifically prohibit discrimination based on arrest or conviction records. However, federal law does prohibit discrimination on the basis of…
Read More EEOC Issues Guidance on Employers’ Use of Arrest and Conviction Records Under Title VIIThe New York Supreme Court decided, in Clark v. Allen & Overy LLP, that plaintiff Deidre Holmes Clark may continue to litigate, in New York, her claims arising from alleged harassment in defendant law firm Allen & Overy’s Moscow office. Executive Law §298-a[1] provides that the New York State Human Rights Law applies “to an…
Read More Plaintiff May Continue Claims in NY Arising From Harassment in RussiaBelow is a copy of the complaint filed by aspiring model Hayden Holt against New York modeling agency Emmanuel NY Models Inc. and its principal, Aristeo Tengco, for sexual harassment, retaliation, wage violations, and breach of contract. Specifically, Holt asserts that Tengco inappropriately touched her, and then retaliated against her – by apparently having her…
Read More Aspiring Model’s Sexual Harassment LawsuitCrump v. NBTY, Inc. et al., 10-cv-632 (WFK) (ETB) (EDNY March 1, 2012) illustrates that even a single, facially neutral (but arguably racist) remark by a supervisor may be enough to proceed to a jury trial on a Title VII discrimination claim. Defendant contended that it fired plaintiff for theft and for improperly using a…
Read More Court Allows Race Discrimination Claim, Based on Single Racist Remark, to Proceed to Jury TrialIn Zutrau v. Ice Systems, Inc., the Supreme Court, Suffolk County dismissed plaintiff’s “quid pro quo” sexual harassment claim. Plaintiff – the entity defendant’s executive vice president – asserted numerous claims, both individually and derivatively, against the entity defendant and Jansing, its president and majority shareholder. The court explained the law as follows: To make out…
Read More Court Rejects “Quid Pro Quo” Sexual Harassment Claim Where Plaintiff was Fired After Rebuffing Ex-Lover’s Attempt to Rekindle RelationshipProskauer Rose LLP’s former CFO Elly Rosenthal yesterday filed suit against the firm, alleging gender, age, and disability discrimination. Here is a copy of the complaint: [scribd id=67772042 key=key-2gyaou2mepsj32nqx8f1 mode=list]
Read More NY labor/employment powerhouse Proskauer Rose sued for employment discrimination