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In Legg v. Ulster County, et al, 2017 WL 3668777 (N.D.N.Y. 09-cv-00550, Aug. 24, 2017) (J. Scullin), the Northern District of New York, inter alia, upheld a jury verdict in favor of one plaintiff (a female corrections officer) on her hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[1]The court also…

Read More NDNY Upholds Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Jury Verdict for Plaintiff Corrections Officer
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In Caruso v. Bon Secours Charity Health System, Inc., 16-3107-cv, 2017 WL 3638203 (2d Cir. Aug. 24, 2017) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation claims. As to plaintiff’s retaliation claim, the court explained: It is true that, roughly five months prior to her termination, Caruso had filed a…

Read More 2d Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Retaliation Claim, Finding That Termination Was Caused by Fight With Co-Worker, Rather Than Sexual Harassment Complaint
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In Caruso v. Bon Secours Charity Health System, Inc., 16-3107-cv, 2017 WL 3638203 (2d Cir. Aug. 24, 2017) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed summary judgment in defendant’s favor on plaintiff’s employment discrimination and retaliation claims. As to the discrimination claims, the court explained: Substantially for the reasons stated by the District Court, we conclude…

Read More 2d Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Race/Sex/National Origin/Age Discrimination Claims; Fight With Co-Worker, Not Unlawful Bias, Was Reason for Termination
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Frequently, plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases will attempt to prove discrimination by reference to comments or remarks that allegedly demonstrate discriminatory intent. For the purpose of evaluating such evidence, courts have developed the “stray remarks” doctrine. The court in Luka v. Bard College, 2017 WL 2839641 (SDNY June 29, 2017) (J. Carter) recently explained: As a…

Read More The “Stray Remarks” Doctrine in Employment Discrimination Law
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In Schultz v. Congregation Shearith Israel of the City of New York et al, 2017 WL 3427130 (2d Cir. Aug. 10, 2017), the Second Circuit (among other things) affirmed the district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s constructive discharge claim. The court explained that “[t]he constructive-discharge doctrine contemplates a situation in which an employer discriminates against an…

Read More Constructive Discharge Claim Properly Dismissed, 2d Circuit Holds
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In Schultz v. Congregation Shearith Israel of the City of New York et al, 2017 WL 3427130 (2d Cir. Aug. 10, 2017), the court addressed the following issue: whether a cause of action under Title VII can be based on notice to an employee of a termination of employment effective in approximately three weeks, that…

Read More 2d Circuit Holds That Title VII Claim May Be Based on Subsequently-Revoked Notice of Termination
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One of the various types of damages available in an employment discrimination case is so-called “emotional distress” damages, which are a species of “compensatory” damages. Such damages are available under (for example) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), and the New York City Human Rights…

Read More Emotional Distress Damages in Employment Discrimination Cases
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The term “reasonable accommodation” has a specific meaning in employment law. It arises in the context of disability discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and religious discrimination. Here I will discuss its meaning in the context of disability discrimination by an employer against an employee or job applicant. The Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.…

Read More What Is a “Reasonable Accommodation” For a “Disability”?
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One common type of personal injury case involves someone being injured as a result of tripping and falling on someone’s property, resulting in injury. In these so-called “trip-and-fall” cases, courts have developed and applied the “trivial defect” doctrine. The Law In determining whether a defect is “trivial” as a matter of law, the court must…

Read More The “Trivial Defect” Doctrine in Personal Injury Trip-and-Fall Premises Liability Cases
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One frequently-occurring personal injury case is the so-called “slip-and-fall” case, which in turn is a species of “premises liability” claims. One court[1]Decker v. Middletown Walmart Supercenter Store, No. 15 CIV. 2886 (JCM), 2017 WL 568761 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 10, 2017) recently summarized the law as follows: In New York, [t]o establish a prima facie case of…

Read More Surviving Summary Judgment in a Slip-and-Fall Premises Liability Case
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