In Matter of James v. New York City Dept. of Corr., 2019 NY Slip Op 31748(U), 158147/2018 (NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. June 19, 2019), the court held that the petitioner, a corrections officer, failed to demonstrate that the Firearms Review Board’s denial of his application to carry a firearm was arbitrary and capricious and…
Read More Firearm Application Denial Not Discriminatory, Court HoldsOn Monday, April 22, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in several cases – including Altitude Express, Inc. et al v. Zarda, Melissa, et al. (17-1623), which originated in the Second Circuit. The Question Presented in the Zarda case, as set forth in that case’s certiorari petition (which I wrote about here) is: Whether…
Read More SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Title VII Sexual Orientation Discrimination CaseIn 554 Euo LLC v. Bldg. Maintenance Employees Union, Local 486, No. 654999/2018, 2019 WL 645975 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Feb. 11, 2019), the court upheld an arbitrator’s decision to impose a less serious sanction (loss on one months’ pay), instead of termination, upon an employee found to have engaged in workplace harassment. The…
Read More Court Upholds Arbitrator’s “Progressive Discipline” Determination in Light of Workplace HarassmentIn a recent decision, Wittmer v. Phillips 66 Company, 18-20251 (5th Cir. Feb. 6, 2019), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition on discrimination “because of … sex” does not protect against discrimination based on transgender status. In light of other…
Read More Fifth Circuit: Title VII Does Not Protect Against Transgender DiscriminationOn Friday, January 25, 2019, New York modified its law to add gender identity and gender expression to the existing law banning discrimination based on gender, age, religion, race or sexual orientation. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the measure into law in Manhattan at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Center.
Read More New York Law Extended to Ban Transgender DiscriminationIn Walsh v. A.R. Walker & Co., Inc., No. 155009/16, 2018 WL 6505409, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 33159(U) (Sup Ct, New York County Dec. 07, 2018), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s sexual orientation-based hostile work environment claim under the New York City Human Rights Law. In this case,…
Read More Sexual Orientation-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Under the NYC Human Rights Law Survives Summary JudgmentIn Peckham v. Island Park Union Free School District, 2018 WL 6332441 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Dec. 5, 2018), the Second Department reversed the lower court’s denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment, and held that plaintiff’s complaint – alleging age and sexual orientation discrimination under the New York State Human Rights Law – should…
Read More Age, Sexual Orientation Discrimination Claims Should Have Been Dismissed as Time-Barred, Second Department HoldsIn Cargian v. Breitling USA, Inc., No. 16-3592-cv, 2018 WL 4293325 (2d Cir. Sept. 10, 2018) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit vacated and remanded a prior order granting summary judgment to defendant in plaintiff’s sexual orientation discrimination case asserted under, inter alia, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The basis for this…
Read More 2d Circuit Revives Sexual Orientation Discrimination Case Against Breitling in Light of Zarda RulingToday is the 2018 NYC Pride March, which celebrates the LGBT community and commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Since last year’s March, there have been several interesting developments in the area of LGBT rights. For example, earlier this year the Second Circuit held (en banc) in Zarda v. Altitude Express that Title VII of the…
Read More NYC Pride Parade 2018In Matter of Advanced Recovery, Inc. v. Fuller, 2018 NY Slip Op 03974 (2d Dept. June 6, 2018), the court confirmed an April 2015 determination of the New York State Division of Human Rights (SDHR) finding that the complainant – a woman who was born a man, and who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria – suffered discrimination.…
Read More Transgender Discrimination Claim and Award Upheld