In a recently-filed lawsuit, Baker v. Olive Garden et al., EDNY 17-cv-00392 (filed 1/25/17), plaintiff (an Olive Garden waitress) alleges, inter alia, that she was subjected to sexual harassment – including sexual comments and touching – by her manager.
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Olive GardenIn Ciulla-Noto v. Xerox Corp., No. 16-CV-6362-FPG, 2017 WL 491688 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 7, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. In sum, plaintiff filed an EEOC charge alleging disability and gender discrimination. About a year later, plaintiff was involved in an altercation with…
Read More Court Dismisses Retaliation Claim; Termination Closely Followed Plaintiff’s Involvement in Altercation at WorkIn Sheng v. M&TBank Corp., No. 14-4467-CV, 2017 WL 443641 (2d Cir. Feb. 2, 2017), a pregnancy discrimination case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the defendant/employer’s offer to reinstate the plaintiff/employee was conditioned on plaintiff dropping her lawsuit, and was therefore inadmissible under Federal Rule of Evidence 408. In…
Read More 2d Circuit: Reinstatement Offer Conditioned on Foregoing Pregnancy Discrimination Case Should Have Been Excluded; Defense Verdict OverturnedIn Lee v. Carolyn Colvin, Acting Comm’r of Soc. Sec., Defendant., No. 15 CIV. 1472 (KPF), 2017 WL 486944 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 6, 2017), the court held that plaintiff – a federal employee – sufficiently alleged a retaliation claim under the Rehabilitation Act.[1]The court dismissed several of plaintiff’s other claims, including those for hostile work environment…
Read More Plaintiff States Retaliation Claim Under Rehabilitation Act; Alleged Adverse Actions Include Transfer to Broken Desk and Failure to PromoteIn Schwarz v. Consolidated Edison, Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 00927 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 7, 2017), the First Department affirmed the lower court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s employment discrimination complaint. In this case, plaintiff “alleges that defendant Consolidated Edison, Inc. [] denied him employment based on his 2002 perjury conviction, and prior assault-related convictions, which subsequently were…
Read More First Department Affirms Dismissal of “Conviction Discrimination” Claim By Former NYPD Officer Involved in Abner Louima CaseIn United States v. N.Y. City Dep’t of Educ., No. 16-cv-4291, 2017 WL 435940 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2017), an employment (race) discrimination case asserted by New York City teachers, the court recommended that defendants’ motion to dismiss be granted and denied in part. The plaintiff-teachers alleged that the principal of Pan American International High School (PAIHS),…
Read More Court Cites and Applies the Doctrine of “Constructive Involuntary Transfer” in Teachers’ Race Discrimination Case Against the New York City Department of EducationIn a recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Andoos v. City of New York, et al (EDNY 17-cv-00378 filed 1/23/17), a Staten Island Ferry Assistant Captain asserts claims of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation under Title VII, the NYS Human Rights Law, and the NYC Human Rights Law.
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit by Staten Island Ferry Assistant CaptainIn Jacobs v. Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschrit, 15-cv-10100, 2017 WL 432803 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s employment discrimination action. Plaintiff, a 72 year-old Episcopalian contract law partner, alleged that he was treated unfairly (i.e. subject to unlawful discrimination) based on his religion (under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of…
Read More Court Dismisses Contract Law Firm Partner’s Religious & Age Discrimination ClaimsIn Underwood v. Roswell Park Cancer Inst., No. 15-CV-684-FPG, 2017 WL 131740 (W.D.N.Y. Jan. 13, 2017), the court held that the plaintiff – an African American surgeon – plausibly alleged that he was subjected to a racially hostile work environment. “To state a claim for a racially hostile work environment, a plaintiff must plead facts…
Read More African American Surgeon Plausibly Alleges a Racially Hostile Work EnvironmentIn Yeger v. Inst. of Culinary Educ., Inc., No. 14CV8202-LTS, 2017 WL 377936 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 25, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s gender discrimination claims.[1]I wrote about the court’s discussion/analysis of the plaintiff’s FMLA retaliation claim here. This decision illustrates that even evidence of arguably disrespectful conduct/language directed at women – including, as here, the use of…
Read More Citing “Stray Remarks” Doctrine, Court Dismisses Gender Discrimination Claims