Blog

by

Teaching is hard work. In addition to the typical stresses of any job – rude co-workers, overbearing bosses, long hours – teachers are forced to deal with unique challenges, such as physical violence in the classroom. This has been in the news lately; the search results from a Google query for “student attack teacher” are disheartening, to…

Read More Absence of “Special Duty” Results in Dismissal of Injured Teacher’s Lawsuit
Share This:
by

On October 21, 2015, Governor Cuomo signed into law several bills, collectively known as the “Women’s Equality Act” (Assembly Bill No. A08070), that will accord greater protections to women in the workplace. These new laws will take effect 90 days after signing, in January 2016. According to the Governor’s website, this legislation “will help to ensure that…

Read More Governor Cuomo Signs “Women’s Equality Act”
Share This:
by

In Ragoo v. New York City Taxi & Limousine Comm’n, No. 101970/08, 2015 WL 6181750 (N.Y. App. Div. Oct. 22, 2015), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s claims for retaliation and disability discrimination (failure to accommodate) under the New York State Human Rights Law because plaintiff failed to establish that she suffered an “adverse employment…

Read More Transfer and Reassignment Were Not “Adverse Employment Actions”; Disability Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Properly Dismissed
Share This:
by

In Self v. Mixmaster, LLC, 2015 NY Slip Op 31938(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Kings Cty. Oct. 19, 2015), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s NYC Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) (sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation), intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress claims. Defendants argued that plaintiff’s claims under…

Read More Sexual Harassment Etc. Claims Against Mixmaster Survive Motion to Dismiss Based on Geographical Reach of NYC Human Rights Law
Share This:
by

In Ashton v. EQR Riverside A, LLC, 2015 NY Slip Op 07916 (Oct. 29, 2015), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s trip-and-fall case. This case, like many premises liability cases, turned on the critical issue of “notice”. From the decision: It was undisputed that defendants did not have actual or constructive notice of the height differential…

Read More Trip/Fall Case Properly Dismissed; Expert’s Conclusion Was “Speculative”
Share This:
by

In Sikora v Earth Leasing Prop. Ltd. Liab. Co., 2015 NY Slip Op 07918 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Oct. 29, 2015) – a personal injury ice slip/fall case – the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed a lower court decision denying defendant’s motion for summary judgment. The court explained: Defendant failed to establish entitlement to judgment as a matter of law…

Read More Plaintiff Survives Summary Judgment in Ice Slip/Fall Personal Injury Case
Share This:
by

A recent New York Supreme Court case, Spellman v. Gucci Am. Inc., 2015 NY Slip Op 31728(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Sept. 11, 2015), illustrates that “hostility” disconnected from the plaintiff’s protected class is insufficient to state a cause of action, even under the relatively broad NYC Human Rights Law. The court dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim…

Read More Alleged Threats of Death and Termination Insufficient to Allege a Cause of Action for a Hostile Work Environment Under the NYC Human Rights Law
Share This:
by

In a recent lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court (captioned Harwell v. Consolidated Edison Co. of NY, 15-cv-08511 (SDNY filed 10/28/15), plaintiff (an African American woman) asserts, among other things, that she was subjected to race discrimination, gender discrimination, and a hostile work environment by her employer, Con Ed.

Read More Race/Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Con Edison
Share This:
by

File this one under “What were they thinking?!?”. When the facts of an employment discrimination case include the terms “Hitler video” and “mandatory conference”, it isn’t difficult to predict how the case is going to turn out. In Orlando v. BNP Paribas N. Am., Inc., No. 14 CIV. 4102 AJP, 2015 WL 6387531 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 22,…

Read More Hitler/Nazi “Training Video” Supports Hostile Work Environment Claims Under New York State and City Human Rights Laws
Share This:
by

In Minckler v. UPS, 2015 WL 6510537 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dept. Oct. 29, 2015), an upstate appellate court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s sexual harassment/hostile work environment and retaliation claims against her former employer UPS, but held that her claim for assault and battery could continue against a co-worker. The Facts Plaintiff, a UPS administrative…

Read More “Uncivil and Crude” Comments Did Not Amount to Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment at UPS
Share This: