In Ruiz v. Lenox Hill Hosp., No. 160377/15, 2017 WL 213802 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 19, 2017), the First Department affirmed (in part) a lower court’s decision addressing plaintiff’s claims under New York’s general and health-care whistleblower laws (N.Y. Labor Law §§ 740 and 741) Here are plaintiff’s allegations, as summarized by the court:…
Read More Surgeon’s Whistleblower Claim Survives DismissalIn Ciulla-Noto v. Xerox Corp., No. 16-CV-6362-FPG, 2017 WL 491688 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 7, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. In sum, plaintiff filed an EEOC charge alleging disability and gender discrimination. About a year later, plaintiff was involved in an altercation with…
Read More Court Dismisses Retaliation Claim; Termination Closely Followed Plaintiff’s Involvement in Altercation at WorkIn Lee v. Carolyn Colvin, Acting Comm’r of Soc. Sec., Defendant., No. 15 CIV. 1472 (KPF), 2017 WL 486944 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 6, 2017), the court held that plaintiff – a federal employee – sufficiently alleged a retaliation claim under the Rehabilitation Act.[1]The court dismissed several of plaintiff’s other claims, including those for hostile work environment…
Read More Plaintiff States Retaliation Claim Under Rehabilitation Act; Alleged Adverse Actions Include Transfer to Broken Desk and Failure to PromoteIn United States v. N.Y. City Dep’t of Educ., No. 16-cv-4291, 2017 WL 435940 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2017), an employment (race) discrimination case asserted by New York City teachers, the court recommended that defendants’ motion to dismiss be granted and denied in part. The plaintiff-teachers alleged that the principal of Pan American International High School (PAIHS),…
Read More Court Cites and Applies the Doctrine of “Constructive Involuntary Transfer” in Teachers’ Race Discrimination Case Against the New York City Department of EducationIn Jacobs v. Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschrit, 15-cv-10100, 2017 WL 432803 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s employment discrimination action. Plaintiff, a 72 year-old Episcopalian contract law partner, alleged that he was treated unfairly (i.e. subject to unlawful discrimination) based on his religion (under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of…
Read More Court Dismisses Contract Law Firm Partner’s Religious & Age Discrimination ClaimsIn Underwood v. Roswell Park Cancer Inst., No. 15-CV-684-FPG, 2017 WL 131740 (W.D.N.Y. Jan. 13, 2017), the court held that the plaintiff – an African American surgeon – plausibly alleged that he was subjected to a racially hostile work environment. “To state a claim for a racially hostile work environment, a plaintiff must plead facts…
Read More African American Surgeon Plausibly Alleges a Racially Hostile Work EnvironmentA recent New York state court decision, Fernandez v. POP Displays & Active Staffing Services (NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. 154516/2016 Jan. 5, 2017), illustrates the limitations on the geographic reach of the New York City Human Rights Law. The court granted defendant POP Display’s motion to dismiss under CPLR 3211(a)(2) for lack of subject…
Read More Court Dismisses NYC Human Rights Law Claims (Sexual Harassment Etc.) Against Non-NYC CompanyIn Offor v. Mercy Medical Center, No. 16-839, 2017 WL 253616 (2d Cir. Jan. 20, 2017) (Summary Order), the court vacated the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) dismissal of plaintiff’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) retaliation claim, but affirmed the dismissal of her Title VII race and national origin discrimination claim. From the Order:…
Read More 2d Circuit Vacates Dismissal of FMLA Retaliation Claim, But Affirms Dismissal of Race/National Origin Discrimination ClaimIn Blundell v. Nihon Kohden Am., 15-cv-1503, 2017 WL 318842 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 23, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s age discrimination claims.[1]The court also denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s retaliation claim and his failure-to-accommodate-disability claim in part. This decision is instructive on the use, in litigation, of age-related comments as proof of age discrimination to…
Read More Court Dismisses Age Discrimination Claims, Notwithstanding Age-Related CommentsIn Schindler v. Plaza Constr. LLC, 2017 NY Slip Op 30029(U), 153291/2016 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. Jan. 9, 2017), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim of gender discrimination (wrongful termination) under the New York City Human Rights Law, pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(1) (documentary evidence establishing a defense) and 3211(a)(7) (failure to state…
Read More Female Crane Operator States Claim of Gender Discrimination (Wrongful Termination) Under the NYC Human Rights Law