In Canosa v. Harvey Weinstein et al, 2019 WL 498865 (S.D.N.Y. 2019), the court, inter alia, clarified that sexual harassment is a form of “discrimination” under federal law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and the New York State and City Human Rights Laws, and does not constitute an independent common-law tort.…
Read More Sexual Harassment is a Statutory Claim, Not a Common-Law Tort, Court ExplainsIn Saudagar v. Walgreens Co. and Duane Reade Inc., 2019 WL 498349 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 8, 2019), the court (inter alia) applied the “election of remedies” doctrine to dismiss plaintiff’s discrimination claim under the New York City Human Rights Law. The court explained that under this doctrine, “a complainant who files a complaint with either the…
Read More “Election of Remedies” Doctrine Bars NYC Human Rights Law Hostile Work Environment ClaimIn Sims v Trustees of Columbia University, No. 156566/13, 8262, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 00672, 2019 WL 385366 (N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept., Jan. 31, 2019), the Appellate Division, First Department held that the lower court properly dismissed plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation, but not plaintiff’s hostile work environment, claims. As to plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims, the court…
Read More “Bubbles” Chimp Hostile Work Environment Claim Resurrected From Summary Judgment DismissalIn Daeisadeghi v. Equinox Great Neck, Inc., 16-CV-01698, 2019 WL 331637 (E.D.N.Y. Jan. 25, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed on summary judgment plaintiff’s national origin-based hostile work environment claim. This case teaches, among other things, that even “insulting” conduct does not necessarily result in the establishment of a hostile work environment claim. From the decision:…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed Against EquinoxIn Diallo v. Whole Foods Market Group, Inc., 2019 WL 140728 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 9, 2019), the court, inter alia, adopted a Magistrate Judge’s recommendation to deny defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim. From the decision: As to the merits, Whole Foods’ argument on the hostile work environment claim presents a…
Read More Race-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary JudgmentIn Sedhom v SUNY Downstate Med. Ctr., 2018 NY Slip Op 33210(U), 155837/2017 (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Dec. 13, 2018), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff sufficiently alleged age discrimination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. The court noted: Here … Plaintiff has alleged that she was frequently the subject of general…
Read More Age Discrimination Claims Sufficiently Alleged Against SUNYIn McElroy v. The Dept. of Educ. of the City of New York, No. 160689/2017, 2019 WL 132532 (Sup Ct, New York County Jan. 08, 2019), the court (inter alia) denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, as insufficiently alleged, plaintiff’s claim that she was subjected to a “hostile work environment” because of her alleged disability (here, obesity).…
Read More Obesity-Related Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Dismissal Under NYC Human Rights LawIn Walsh v. A.R. Walker & Co., Inc., No. 155009/16, 2018 WL 6505409, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 33159(U) (Sup Ct, New York County Dec. 07, 2018), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s sexual orientation-based hostile work environment claim under the New York City Human Rights Law. In this case,…
Read More Sexual Orientation-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Under the NYC Human Rights Law Survives Summary JudgmentIn Lonergan-Milligan v. New York State Office of Mental Health, 2018 WL 6605686 (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 17, 2018), the court dismissed plaintiff’s Title VII sexual harassment (hostile work environment) claim. The law: A prima facie case of a hostile work environment involves two showings: (1) that the complained-of conduct ‘was sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Conduct Was Neither “Severe” Nor “Pervasive”In Chin v. Alejandro Torres et al, 2018 WL 6435898, at *2 (N.D.N.Y. Dec. 7, 2018), the court dismissed plaintiff’s sexual harassment complaint, citing the well-established principle that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is not applicable against individual defendants. As summarized by the court, plaintiff “alleges that she was employed in…
Read More Court Dismisses Title VII Sexual Harassment Complaint Against Individual Defendants