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A recent Eastern District decision, Delisi v. National Ass’n of Professional Women, illustrates the circumstances under which an individual defendant – here, defendant’s general counsel – may be liable under the “aiding and abetting” and retaliation provisions of the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL). Generally, plaintiff asserted that she was subjected to sexual harassment, and…

Read More Company’s Alleged Failure to Investigate Discrimination Complaint Supported “Aiding and Abetting” and Retaliation Claims
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In Parra v. City of White Plains (decided Sept. 4, 2014), the Southern District of New York held that plaintiff plausibly alleged some, but not other, claims of discrimination. Plaintiff, a Hispanic female police officer, alleged that defendants subjected her to a hostile work environment based on sexual harassment, retaliated against her for complaining about the…

Read More Pairing Harassment Victim With Harassers Was Unreasonable, Supporting Vicarious Liability in Police Officer’s Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Case
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In Nankivell v. Ardis Health, LLC, the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim for sex discrimination and harassment under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). The NYCHRL is broader than its federal and state counterparts (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law,…

Read More Sexual Comments and Conduct Were Not “Petty Slights or Trivial Inconveniences”, Supporting Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Claim Under NYC Human Rights Law
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In EEOC v. Port Authority, decided 9/29/14, the Second Circuit provided guidance on the level of specificity necessary to survive a motion to dismiss a claim under the Equal Pay Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C. 206(d). This case began with a charge of discrimination filed by a female Port Authority attorney, and led to an investigation…

Read More Failure to Allege Facts Concerning Attorneys’ Job Duties Results in Dismissal of Equal Pay Act Claim
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In Cruz v. HSBC Bank USA, N.A., the Second Circuit recently affirmed the dismissal of a bank officer’s claim of breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The court cited the rule of “at will employment” in New York and its narrow exception, based on the New York Court of Appeals’ decision…

Read More Bank Officer Not Entitled to Invoke Narrow Exception to “At Will” Employment Rule
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Santiago v. Dept. of Education illustrates that in an employment discrimination case, the plaintiff must plausibly allege an “adverse employment action.” The quintessential “adverse employment action” is, of course, termination. However, other actions short of termination may qualify. Plaintiff – an itinerant attendance teacher – alleged disparate treatment and a hostile work environment under the…

Read More Employment Discrimination Lawsuit Dismissed; No “Adverse Action”
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In Johnson v. City University of New York, decided Sept. 8, 2014, the Southern District of New York once again clarified that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not prohibit bullying and harassment that is unconnected with legally-protected characteristics. The court’s first paragraph summarizes the law nicely: Bullying and harassment have no…

Read More “Bullying” and “Harassment” Unconnected to Membership in a Protected Class Not Actionable Under Title VII
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In Hefti v. Brand Union, Inc. (a wrongful termination lawsuit), decided July 2, 2014, the New York Supreme Court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint for failure to state a claim. Plaintiff alleged that she was subjected to discrimination based on her disability (clinical depression and bipolar disorder), including by forcing her to disclosing personal…

Read More Court Rejects Defendant’s Reliance on “After-Acquired Evidence” Doctrine
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In Chiaramonte v. The Animal Medical Center, the Southern District of New York recently held that plaintiff successfully pleaded – “by a very narrow margin” – claims under the federal Equal Pay Act and its New York equivalent. In this case, Plaintiff alleges in the Amended Complaint that she, in addition to serving as a…

Read More Female Veterinarian Plausibly Alleges Equal Pay Act Claims
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A recent Southern District of New York decision, Fitzgerald v Signature Flight Support Corp., 13 CV 4026 VB, 2014 WL 3887217 [SDNY Aug. 5, 2014], is illustrative of how a plaintiff may plausibly allege age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. There was no dispute that plaintiff satisfied the first three elements…

Read More Selective Enforcement of “Sleeping on the Job” Rules Plausibly Supports Age Discrimination Claim
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