Race / Color Discrimination

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Much has been written about an unfortunate incident in which two black men – Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson – were arrested while waiting for their friend/colleague in a Philadelphia Starbucks on April 12, 2018. For a recap, this article summarizes what happened and relatively recent developments, including Messrs. Nelson’s and Robinson’s retention of counsel.[1]If you…

Read More On Starbucks, “Sitting While Black,” and Public Accommodation Discrimination
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In Amaya v. Ballyshear LLC et al, 17-cv-1596, 2018 WL 1319003 (EDNY March 14, 2018), the court held, inter alia, that plaintiff (an Ecuadorian woman amd member of the Hispanic race) sufficiently alleged a race-based hostile work environment claim based on anti-Hispanic epithets. The court explained: [T]o survive a motion to dismiss, “a plaintiff need…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Stated Under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 Based on Racial Epithets
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In Cook v. Emblem Health Services Co., LLC,2018 NY Slip Op 30460(U), 2018 WL 1399351 (N.Y.Sup. Ct. March 16, 2018), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s race discrimination claim. In reaching this conclusion, it addressed the use of so-called “racially coded” language – i.e., language that is facially benign but that may actually have a…

Read More Race Discrimination Claim Dismissed Against Emblem Health, Notwithstanding Alleged Use of “Racially Coded” Language
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In Hill v. Frontier Telephone of Rochester, Inc., 2018 WL 1256220 (W.D.N.Y., 2018) – a race discrimination/hostile work environment case – the court dismissed plaintiff’s case, finding that there was no issue of fact as to whether the alleged harasser’s conduct could be imputed to the employer. The court explained the law: Where, as here,…

Read More Co-Worker’s Harassment Not Imputed to Employer; Employer’s Response Held Sufficient
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In Rodrigues v. Watershed Ventures LLC, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 30322(U), 2018 WL 1030303 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Feb. 23, 2018), the court held, inter alia, that a release agreement relating to plaintiff’s claims, asserted in a separate federal court action, was not broad enough to preclude his race discrimination claims. From the Decision and Order: [T]he…

Read More Race Discrimination Claims Survive; Not Barred By Release of Wage & Hour Claims
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In Rodrigues v. Watershed Ventures LLC, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 30322(U), 2018 WL 1030303 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Feb. 23, 2018), the court held, inter alia, that plaintiffs sufficiently alleged a claim for discrimination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. The court explained the applicable legal standards: In employment discrimination actions brought pursuant…

Read More Race Discrimination Claim Sufficiently Alleged Against Watershed Ventures
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In Watkins v. First Student, Inc., 2018 WL 1135480 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 28, 2018), the court dismissed plaintiff’s race- and gender-based hostile work environment claims. Here, those claims faltered – as many do – because the alleged “hostility” was not due to plaintiff’s protected class(es). From the decision: Taking the allegations of the Complaint, the May…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Against First Student, Inc. Fail Due to Lack of Connection Between Alleged Bullying Etc. and Protected Class(es)
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In Penn v. New York Methodist Hospital, 2018 WL 1177293 (2d Cir. March 7, 2018), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race and religious discrimination claims asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the Opinion: [T]he district court did not err in applying the ministerial exception doctrine. While a…

Read More Citing the “Ministerial Exception,” 2d Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Title VII Race/Religious Discrimination Claim
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In Isakov v. HASC Ctr., Inc. Druker, No. 17-CV-5775 (BMC), 2018 WL 1114714 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 27, 2018), the court held that plaintiff plausibly alleged a claim for religion-based employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Plaintiff asserted, inter alia, that he was treated differently/unfairly after he stopped practicing “Orthodox” Judaism,…

Read More Race, Religious Discrimination Claims Stated Against HASC Center; Plaintiff Alleged Mistreatment Due to Switching From “Orthodox” to “Traditional” Judaism
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In Coello v. The Riese Organization Inc., 2018 WL 1051730 (N.Y.Sup.), 2-3, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 30309(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Bx. Cty. jan. 5, 2018), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims of race discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment under the New York State and City Human Rights…

Read More Race Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims Continue Against The Riese Organization
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