Hostile Work Environment

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In the disturbing case of Lent v. CCNH, Inc. d/b/a Cortland Care Center, 2015 WL 3463433 (NDNY June 1, 2015), the court held that plaintiff sufficiently alleged (hostile work environment) sexual harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law. Plaintiff alleged that her co-worker “cornered…

Read More Allegations of Rape by Co-Worker Sufficiently Allege Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment
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A recent decision, DeLaurencio v. Brooklyn Children’s Center, Superintendent (EDNY May 29, 2015), reiterates that Title VII is not a “general civility code” and that “[w]ork environments that are hostile for non-discriminatory reasons do not fall within the ambit of Title VII.” In this case, the court held that none of the allegations in plaintiff’s…

Read More Employment Discrimination / Hostile Work Environment Allegations Amounting to Rude Conduct Unmotivated by Discriminatory Animus Fail to State a Claim
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Here is the federal court complaint filed by Philippa Okoye against her employer deVere Group on May 18, 2015. She alleges hostile work environment sexual harassment, gender discrimination, associational race discrimination (in light of her husband, Lawrence Okoye’s, race), religion-based discrimination, and retaliation under the New York City Human Rights Law.

Read More Philippa Okoye’s Employment Discrimination Lawsuit Against DeVere Group
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In Daniel v. AutoZone, Inc. (NDNY May 6, 2015), the Northern District of New York denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s race-based hostile work environment claims against the individual defendants under 42 USC 1981 and the New York State Human Rights Law. Here is the applicable law: [A]n individual defendant may be liable under section 1981.…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Under 42 USC 1981 and State Human Rights Law Continue
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In Petyan v. New York City Law Dept., 14-cv-1434, 2015 WL 1855961 (SDNY April 23, 2015), the court recommended the dismissal of plaintiff’s national origin (Israeli) discrimination and hostile work environment claims, but held that plaintiff plausibly alleged retaliation in the form of a negative performance evaluation. The court held: The law in [the Second] Circuit…

Read More Retaliation Claim, But Not National Origin Discrimination Claim, Survives Dismissal
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In 2010, plaintiff Geralyn Ganci alleged, in a federal court complaint against U.S. Limousine Service Ltd. and Raymond Townsend, that she was subjected to hostile work environment and quid pro quo sexual harassment (including in person and by phone calls/text messages) by her boss Raymond Townsend and fired for rejecting his advances. Among the “vile and…

Read More $700,000+ Award in Limousine Company Sexual Harassment Case
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In a lawsuit filed April 2, 2015 and captioned Lombardi v. CBS Broadcasting, Inc. et al., 15-cv-02516, plaintiff Lombardi asserts various claims against defendant CBS, including gender discrimination, retaliation, constructive discharge, aiding and abetting discrimination, and hostile work environment. Among other allegations, plaintiff (who is male) alleges that at CBS’ December 2013 holiday party, a…

Read More Same-Sex Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against CBS
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In Grigoryou v. Pallet Serv., Inc., No. 13-CV-00526AM, 2015 WL 1647139 (W.D.N.Y. Apr. 14, 2015), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s age discrimination claims based on theories of disparate treatment (termination) and hostile work environment. Plaintiff (who is 51 years old) alleged, for example, that most of the other employees were between 20…

Read More Treating Older Worker Worse Than Younger Co-Workers Sufficient to Allege Age Discrimination
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In Suarez v. City of New York (EDNY 11-cv-5812 March 31, 2015), the Eastern District of New York dismissed the claims by plaintiff, a deckhand on the Staten Island Ferry (and employed by the NYC Department of Transportation), that she was sexually harassed by Warren, an AlliedBarton security guard, under the NYC Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). Addressing…

Read More Staten Island Ferry Security Company Not Liable For Sexual Harassment Perpetrated by its Employee Against Non-Employee Deckhand
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Employment discrimination and hostile work environment claims are often difficult to prove, and frequently fail at the summary judgment stage. That is, there are many decisions in which a judge rules that there simply isn’t enough evidence to get to a jury on these issues. In that instance, the court is not taking on the…

Read More Plaintiff Gets to Jury on Race Discrimination and Hostile Work Environment Claims Against Contractor
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