Hostile Work Environment

As you may know, SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh stands accused of engaging in sexual misconduct against one, and possibly several, women, including Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. The allegations are based on conduct that allegedly occurred decades ago. This, predictably, has resulted in significant discussions, on social media and likely elsewhere, about the nature and likely…

Read More The Dangers of Failing to Report Workplace Sexual Harassment
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In Wolfe-Santos v NYS Gaming Com’n, No. 160963/16, 2018 WL 4350325, at *4, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 32247(U), 4 (Sup Ct, New York County Sep. 12, 2018), the court dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims under the NYS and NYC Human Rights Laws. Initially, the court explained the legal standards for such claims: A hostile work…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed Against NYS Gaming Commission
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In Berrie v. Board of Education of Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District, 2018 WL 4462587 (2d Cir. Sept. 18, 2018) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race discrimination/hostile work environment claims. This case illustrates how courts apply the “severe or pervasive” standard when evaluating hostile work environment claims. Here, unfortunately,…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed; Eleven Incidents Over Five Years Insufficient
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In  Casarella v. New York State Department of Transportation, 2018 WL 4372674 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 13, 2018), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff plausibly alleged a hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “To establish a hostile work environment claim, a plaintiff must produce enough evidence to show…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Dismissal; Anti-Italian Slurs Were “Pervasive”
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In Calise v. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, 17-cv-791, 2018 WL 4350247 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 12, 2018), plaintiff, a white woman, asserted claims of race discrimination – based on alleged mistreatment by her boss, who is black – under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, 42 U.S.C.…

Read More Title VII Race Discrimination Claim Survives Against NYS Dept. of Motor Vehicles
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In Emmanuel v. Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., No. 159316/15, 2018 WL 4148520 (Sup Ct, New York County Aug. 30, 2018) (J. Bannon), the court, inter alia, granted defendants summary judgment on plaintiff’s NYC Human Rights Law hostile work environment claim. From the decision: The court rejects the plaintiff’s contention that she raised a triable issue…

Read More Gender/Pregnancy Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Attendance Monitoring Insufficient
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In a recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Johnna Ayres v. Bloomberg L.P. Michael Bloomberg, and Lawrence Diamond, N.Y. Sup. Ct., Kings Cty., Index No. 517214/2018, filed Aug. 23, 2018, the plaintiff alleges various claims – including sex discrimination (disparate treatment and disparate impact), age discrimination (disparate treatment and disparate impact), hostile work environment, and retaliation against Bloomberg…

Read More Discrimination Lawsuit Against Bloomberg et al
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In Rice v. Smithtown Volkswagen, 2018 WL 3848923 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 13, 2018), the court held that plaintiff sufficiently pleaded claims for “quid pro quo” sexual harassment, hostile work environment sexual harassment, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (In this post I will discuss the court’s assessment of plaintiff’s “hostile work…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Stated Against Smithtown Volkswagen
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In Johnson v IAC/Interactivecorp., No. 155837/2014, 2018 WL 3536599, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 31720(U) (Sup Ct, New York County July 16, 2018), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s claim for gender discrimination. This case illustrates, among other things, that when assessing employment discrimination claims, context counts. From the decision: It is significant here that plaintiff was…

Read More “College Humor” Gender Discrimination Claim Dismissed
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In a Bronx Supreme Court lawsuit, captioned White v. Lighthouse Academies, Inc., INdex No. 29057/2018E (filed August 6, 2018), plaintiff – a teacher – alleges that she was subjected to retaliation following her complaints about sexually inappropriate comments by a student.

Read More Lawsuit: Teacher Alleges Retaliation Following Complaints of Sexual Harassment by Studen
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