From French v. County of Erie, 2018 WL 647470, at *1 (W.D.N.Y., 2018): It is undisputed that the defendants met their burden of production of legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons for plaintiff French’s termination under the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting framework. See Bucalo v. Shelter Island Union Free Sch. Dist., 691 F.3d 119, 130 n.6 (2d Cir. 2012) (citing…
Read More Retaliation Claim Survives Summary JudgmentIn Picarella v. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., 2018 WL 627517 (2d Cir. Jan. 31, 2018) (Summary Order) – an employment discrimination case – the Second Circuit declined to upset a jury verdict and resulting judgment in favor of defendant HSBC. Plaintiff asserted claims of retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…
Read More 2d Circuit Declines to Award New Trial in Employment Discrimination Case; Defense Counsel’s Opening Statement Was Not ImproperIn Figueroa v. KK Sub II et al, 15-cv-6526, 2018 WL 573571 (W.D.N.Y. Jan. 26, 2018), the court (inter alia) denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to plaintiff’s retaliatory termination claims under Title VII and the New York State Human Rights Law. In sum,[1]As always, this is a brief summary of the facts of…
Read More Retaliatory Termination Case Survives Summary Judgment; Evidence Included instruction to “Keep An Eye On” PlaintiffIn Harrington v. City of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 00381, 2018 WL 503144 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 23, 2018), the Appellate Division, First Department modified a lower court order and reinstated plaintiff police officer’s claims for sexual orientation discrimination and retaliation under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. As…
Read More Police Officer’s Sexual Orientation Discrimination Claims Sufficiently Alleged, First Department HoldsIn DeMarzo v. Urban Dove, Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 32612(U) (NY Sup. Ct. Kings Cty., 500466/13, Nov. 21, 2017), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s disability discrimination and retaliation claims under the NYS and NYC Human Rights Laws on the ground that plaintiff failed to file a Notice of Claim. The governing statute, Education…
Read More State, City Human Rights Law Claims Are Not “Torts” Under Notice of Claim Statute, Court HoldsIn Breitstein v. Michael C. Fina Co., 2017 NY Slip Op 08883 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Dec. 21, 2017), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s religious discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation causes of action under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. This decision teaches/confirms that, in a discrimination case, the question is not…
Read More Religious/Age Discrimination & Retaliation Claims Properly Dismissed Against Michael C. FinaIn Swiderski v. Urban Outfitters, 14-cv-6307 (SDNY Dec. 18, 2017), the court held that plaintiff presented enough evidence of sexual harassment to survive summary judgment. This case arose from sexual harassment by, inter alia, a customer and by a loss prevention agent employed by defendant. Here is the decision:
Read More Sexual Harassment Claim Survives Against Urban OutfittersIn Novio v. The New York Academy of Art et al, 2017 WL 6398746 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 13, 2017), the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motions to dismiss plaintiff’s claims for sex discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile educational environment, unlawful retaliation, and breach of contract. She asserted her discrimination and retaliation claims under…
Read More Student’s Sexual Harassment, Retaliation Claims Survive Against SchoolIn Young v. Town of Islip et al, 2017 WL 5468752 (E.D.N.Y. Nov. 13, 2017), the court explained the difference between an “adverse employment action” in the discrimination context, vs. an “adverse employment action” in the retaliation context. The court held that the jury instructions on plaintiff’s retaliation claims – but not her race discrimination…
Read More New Trial on Retaliation Claims Granted Due to Erroneous Jury Charge; Alleged Incidents Should Have Been Considered in the AggregateIn Croci v. Town of Haverstraw et al, 2017 WL 6311697 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 8, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The court held that plaintiff failed to make out a prima facie case of retaliation – and, in particular, that the requisite “temporal proximity”…
Read More Title VII Retaliation Claim Dismissed; Temporal Proximity Between “Protected Activity” and “Adverse Employment Action” Lacking