In a complaint captioned Almestica v. The New York Friars Club et al (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Index No. 153986/2016 filed May 11, 2016), plaintiff – a receptionist who worked at the Friars Club’s midtown Manhattan club – alleges, among other things, that Keith Charet (a Friars Club officer) subjected her to sexual harassment – by, e.g.,…
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against The Friars ClubIn Shalom v. Hunter Coll. of City Univ. of New York, No. 14-3426-CV, 2016 WL 1358607 (2d Cir. Apr. 6, 2016), the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s claims under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681) for (1) quid pro quo sexual harassment, (2) hostile educational environment,…
Read More Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Title IX Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment, Hostile Educational Environment, and Retaliation ClaimsIn a lawsuit filed this week, captioned Villalta v. JS Barkats PLLC and Sunny Barkats, 16-cv-2772 (SDNY filed April 13, 2016), plaintiff asserts claims of gender discrimination and quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment against a Manhattan law firm and its owner. Plaintiff alleges, among other things: Defendant [Sunny] Barkats exploited Plaintiff, who…
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Manhattan Law Firm JS Barkats PLLCIn Bouveng v. NYG Capital LLC et al, No. 14 CIV. 5474 (PGG), 2016 WL 1312139 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2016), Judge Gardephe – in a lengthy and thoughtful opinion – ruled on defendants’ post-trial motions following a jury’s verdict in favor of, and considerable award to, Hanna Bouveng in her sexual harassment lawsuit against various…
Read More SDNY Upholds Jury Verdict on Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment Claims Against Benjamin Wey et alIn a lawsuit recently filed in Manhattan federal court (Ravina v. Columbia University, 16-cv-02137), the plaintiff – an Assistant Professor of Finance at Columbia University – alleges (among other things) that after enduring quid pro quo sexual harassment by a tenured professor, “Columbia refused to stop his discriminatory behavior”, “allowed [plaintiff] to continue to be victimized…
Read More Professor Files Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Against Columbia UniversityIn Llanos v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., 132 A.D.3d 823, 824, 18 N.Y.S.3d 666, 667 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dept. 2015), the Second Dept. reversed a state court decision dismissing plaintiff’s claims under section 8-107 of the NYC Administrative Code (aka the NYC Human Rights Law/NYCHRL). Plaintiff alleged in her complaint that she was subjected to employment discrimination, quid…
Read More Discrimination Claims Under Comparatively Broad NYC Human Rights Law Were Not Duplicative of State Law ClaimsIn Lekettey v. City of New York, No. 15-1169-CV, 2016 WL 482109 (2d Cir. Feb. 8, 2016), the court affirmed a lower court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint alleging sexual harassment. There are generally two theories of sexual harassment recognized under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: (1) “quid pro quo” sexual harassment,…
Read More Sexual Harassment Allegations Insufficiently Alleged, Notwithstanding Assertion of “Fondling”In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court on January 19, 2016, Mikolaenko v. NYU School of Medicine et al (16-cv-00413), plaintiff – a doctor – asserts (among other things) that her supervisor threatened to give her poor reviews and terminate her unless she had sex with him, propositioned plaintiff for sex, and made inappropriate…
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against NYU School of Medicine and Others“Sexual harassment” is one type of unlawful discrimination based on “sex” under various statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The term “quid pro quo” is a Latin phrase that means “this for that”. In the context of employment discrimination/sexual harassment law, it has a specific meaning. “Sexual harassment claims are…
Read More What is “Quid Pro Quo” Sexual Harassment?In New York, particularly New York City, employees are protected against discrimination (including sexual harassment and retaliation) by various laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law. Although these laws are similar in some respects, they differ…
Read More Individual Liability For Sexual Harassment Requires Participation, Court Holds