In Martinez v. City of Union City, Union City Police Department et al, Civ. No. 21-11111, 2021 WL 5195708 (D.N.J. Nov. 8, 2021), the court, inter alia, granted defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim for sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (The court did, however, find that plaintiff sufficiently…
Read More Sex Discrimination Claim Dismissed; No “Adverse Action” AllegedIn Govender v. Brooklyn Immunotherapeutics LLC, No. 650847/2021, 2021 WL 5234682 (N.Y. Sup Ct, NY Cty. Nov. 09, 2021), an employment discrimination case, the court granted defendant’s motion to compel arbitration and to stay the action. From the decision: Plaintiff’s affirmation highlights that the arbitration clause is void under CPLR 7515 as it would require…
Read More Employment Discrimination Arbitration Agreement Not Subject to Invalidation on the Ground of Prohibitive CostIn Knope v. Merrick B. Garland et al, 20-cv-3274, 2021 WL 5183536 (2d Cir. Nov. 9, 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s sex discrimination claim asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After summarizing the relevant “black letter” law, the…
Read More Sex Discrimination Claim Dismissal Affirmed; Court Notes Lack of Detail Surrounding Accommodation Provided to Male EmployeeIn Wilson v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., et al, 20-cv-4558, 2021 WL 5179914 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 8, 2021), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff sufficiently (i.e., plausibly) alleged a race-based hostile work environment under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Beginning with the City Law, the court explained: [Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint]…
Read More Race-Based Hostile Work Environment Sufficiently Alleged Against JPMorgan Chase Bank Under the NYS and NYC Human Rights LawIn Stalling v. FINRA, 21-CV-8390, 2021 WL 5166406 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 5, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s “failure to hire” discrimination claim as insufficiently alleged. The court explained the governing law (substantive and procedural) as follows: Title VII provides that “[i]t shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer … to fail or…
Read More Race and Sex Discrimination Claims Dismissed Against FINRAIn Kalarickal v. Denis McDonough, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, 20-cv-10249, 2021 WL 5112907 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 3, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s retaliation claim (in one respect). Plaintiff, a former contract employee (radiology technician) who worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, asserted various forms of discrimination and…
Read More Retaliation Claim, Arising From Termination Weeks After Discrimination Complaint, Survives DismissalIn Kalarickal v. Denis McDonough, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, 20-cv-10249, 2021 WL 5112907 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 3, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim on the basis of his age, color, disability, national origin, race, and religion. This case illustrates that a “hostile work environment” does not exist merely by virtue…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Allegations of “Burdensome” Work Schedule, Swearing, and Thrown Phone Held InsufficientRecently, New York’s legislature amended New York’s notoriously narrow “whistleblower law,” N.Y. Labor Law 740. Governor Hochul signed the new law on October 28, 2021; they take effect 90 days thereafter (i.e., on January 26, 2022). There are a number of changes to the statute, which include, but are not limited to: Broadening the definition…
Read More Amendments to New York’s Whistleblower Statute, N.Y. Labor Law 740In Arbouin v. Bob’s Discount Furniture, LLC, 20-CV-1893, 2021 WL 4458932 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2021), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff sufficiently (i.e., plausibly) alleged a retaliation claim, arising from her complaints of sexual harassment. Marching through the elements of a retaliation claim, namely, (1) protected activity, (2) adverse employment action, and (3) a…
Read More Retaliation Claim, Arising From Sexual Harassment Complaints, Survives DismissalIn Nakeshia Nikki Jones v. Industry One Mobile, Inc, 19-01023, 2021 WL 4955905 (S.D. Ala. Oct. 8, 2021), the court, inter alia, recommended that the court grant (as a sanction) plaintiff’s motion for a default judgment on her claim for sexual harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the decision:…
Read More Sexual Harassment Allegations, That Boss Terminated Plaintiff For Rejecting Sexual Advances, Sufficient