Hostile Work Environment

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In Chinnery v. NYS Office of Children and Family Svcs, decided April 25, 2014, Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Maas recommended that defendant OCFS be granted summary judgment on plaintiff’s disparate treatment, retaliation, and hostile work environment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the court’s discussion of…

Read More Court Reiterates That “Mere Workplace Bullying” Unrelated to the Plaintiff’s Membership in a Protected Class Does Not Constitute a Hostile Work Environment
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In Bethea v. City of New York (decided June 12, 2014), the Eastern District of New York held that plaintiff adequately pleaded sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Plaintiff alleges that she was subjected to repeated sexual harassment by her co-worker, Sergeant Michelle Williams,…

Read More Police Officer Adequately Alleges Sexual Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims
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In Cruz v. NYS Dept. of Corrections, the Southern District of New York held (in a decision dated June 4, 2014) that the male plaintiff stated claims for hostile work environment and “quid pro quo” sexual harassment arising from unfair treatment by his female supervisor. The facts, as summarized by the court: Until August 8, 2012,…

Read More Male Corrections Employee States Sexual Harassment Claims Arising From Alleged Mistreatment by Female Boss
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Employment discrimination cases – particularly those involving allegations of harassment or a hostile work environment – are often not suitable for resolution as a matter of law (or “summary judgment”), since they frequently turn on factual disputes more appropriately resolved by a jury rather than a judge. Some cases, however, are suitable for disposition as a…

Read More Court Grants Restaurant Co-Workers Summary Judgment on Sexual Harassment (Hostile Work Environment) Claims
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In Burhans v. Lopez, decided June 10, 2014, the Southern District of New York denied defendant Sheldon Silver’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ amended federal court complaint for failure to state a claim. This lawsuit arises out of sexual harassment committed by former New York State Assemblyman Vito Lopez against plaintiffs, who served as his legislative aides. As…

Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Continues Against Sheldon Silver
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In Ji Sun Jennifer Kim v Goldberg, Weprin, Finkel, Goldstein, LLP (decided June 3, 2014), the Appellate Division, First Department held that the plaintiff’s claims of retaliatory termination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws were not collaterally estopped by a prior federal court decision dismissing her claims under the Family and…

Read More Dismissal of FMLA Claims Does Not Preclude Assertion of State/City Human Rights Law Retaliation Claims, First Department Holds
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In Thomas v. EONY LLC and David Shavolian (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Index No. 158961/2013 May 23, 2014), a New York trial court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Plaintiff alleged, for example, that defendant violated the New York State and City Human Rights Laws…

Read More There’s Zealous Advocacy, Then There’s This: Judge “Aghast” at Sexual Harassment “Defense”
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In Smith v. Town of Hempstead (decided May 15, 2014), the Eastern District of New York held that plaintiff stated claims for sexual harassment/hostile work environment under Title VII, and a claim for municipal liability under 42 USC 1983. Plaintiff worked as a Community Research Assistant in the Town’s Clerk’s Office and claimed that she was subjected…

Read More Town Clerk States Claims For Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment and Municipal Liability Under Section 1983
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The court’s decision in Garrigan v. Ruby Tuesday, 14-cv-155 (S.D.N.Y. May 22, 2014) illustrates the important distinctions between pleading employment discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the much broader New York City Human Rights Law. Plaintiff claimed that she was harassed in the workplace because she would not…

Read More Plaintiff Successfully Pleads Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Under NYC Human Rights Law
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