Hostile Work Environment

Some court decisions, particularly in the employment discrimination context, are perfect examples of “what not to do” in the workplace. In such a recent case, Shkoza v. NYC Health & Hospitals Corp., 20-CV-3646, 2021 WL 4340787 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2021), the court held that plaintiff sufficiently alleged a sex-based hostile work environment under the New…

Read More Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Sufficiently Alleged; Allegations Included “Wives” Comment, Inappropriate Touching
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In Zuckerman v. GW Acquisition LLC d/b/a G&W Industries et al, 20-CV-8742, 2021 WL 4267815 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 20, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s pregnancy/lactation-related hostile work environment claims. From the decision: The Court finds that Plaintiff has pled sufficient facts to indicate that the three elements of a hostile…

Read More Pregnancy-Related Hostile Work Environment Claims Survive Motion to Dismiss; Allegations Included Lactation Comments
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In Barney v. H.E.L.P. Homeless Service Corporation, 19 Civ. 5959, 2021 WL 4267629 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 20, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim sexual orientation-based hostile work environment asserted under the New York City Human Rights Law. Notably, the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s…

Read More Sexual Orientation Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Under City, But Not State and Federal, Law
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In Hawkins-El v. NYC Transit Authority, 18-cv-07167, 2021 WL 4222400 (EDNY Sept. 16, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s disability-based hostile work environment claim (asserted under the Americans with Disabilities Act) against the New York City Transit Authority. Plaintiff identified twelve incidents that he alleged created a hostile work environment, including plaintiff’s superintendent (Micelotta)…

Read More Hearing Disability Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed Against NYC Transit Authority
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In Bearer v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. et al, 19-5415, 2021 WL 4145053 (E.D.Pa. Sept. 8, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on her hostile work environment / sexual harassment claim arising from defendant’s President and CEO slapped plaintiff’s buttocks. The court distinguished this case from one in which the…

Read More Sexual Battery / Hostile Work Environment (Butt-Slapping) Claim Survives Summary Judgment Against Teva Pharmaceuticals
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In Tortorici v. Bus-Tev, LLC d/b/a Early Morning Seafood and Eric Tevrow, 17-cv-7507, 2021 WL 4177209 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 14, 2021), the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s gender-based hostile work environment claims on her New York State and City Human Rights Laws. This case illustrates the principle that, in order to make…

Read More Lewd & Inappropriate, But Not Actionable: Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed
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In Zheng-Smith v. Nassau Health Care Corporation, 2021 WL 4097316 (2d Cir. Sept. 9, 2021), the court, inter alia, affirmed summary judgment in favor of defendant on plaintiff’s race and national origin based hostile work environment claim. The court summarized the applicable black-letter law as follows: Hostile work environment claims under both Title VII and…

Read More Mocking of Accent, While Evidence of “Insult or Ridicule”, Insufficient to Support Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Bonterre v. City of New York et al, 18 Civ. 745, 2021 WL 4060358 (SDNY Sept. 7, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion – under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c) – to dismiss plaintiff’s sexual harassment / hostile work environment claim. The court explained: In [the Second] Circuit, courts determining whether…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claim, Based on “Broomstick” Incident, Survives Dismissal
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In Thompson v. South Amboy Comprehensive Treatment Center, 2021 WL 3828833 (D.N.J. Aug. 27, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment sexual harassment claim. Here, plaintiff alleges that her former supervisor (Edwin Rivera) sexually assaulted her during a weekend outing in Atlantic City, and that her…

Read More Single Incident of Alleged Sexual Assault Supports Sexual Harassment / Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Erazo-Vazquez v. State Industrial Products Corp., 16-2709, 2021 WL 3910248 (D.Puerto Rico Aug. 31, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s age-based hostile work environment claim. Initially, the court cautioned against “blurring” the distinction between hostile work environment claims, on the one hand, and discrimination and retaliation claims, on the other: Plaintiff’s allegations closely…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Court Cautions Against “Repurposing” Discrete Acts Supporting Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
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