42 USC § 1981

In Black v. Buffalo Meat Serv., Inc., No. 15CV49S, 2017 WL 1196469 (W.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2017) – a race/sex hostile work environment and constructive discharge case – the court ruled on the parties’ respective discovery motions. The facts, as summarized by the court: Plaintiff claims that defendants created a hostile work environment on the basis…

Read More Court Declines to Order Production of Plaintiff’s Tax Returns in Race/Sex Hostile Work Environment Case
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In Green v. Jacob & Co. Watches, Inc., No. 15 CIV. 3611 (PAC), 2017 WL 1208596 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2017), the court held, inter alia, that plaintiff – an African American man who held the title of Director of Security for Jacob & Co. – plausibly alleged discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation claims under federal,…

Read More Citing “Monkey” Comment, SDNY Rules in Favor of Plaintiff in Race Discrimination & Hostile Work Environment Case Against Jacob & Co. Watches
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In Alvarado v. Nordstrom, Inc., No. 16-971-CV, 2017 WL 1175654 (2d Cir. Mar. 29, 2017) (Summary Order), the court vacated the district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s retaliation claim under the NYC Human Rights Law. It affirmed its dismissal, however, of plaintiff’s race discrimination and hostile work environment claims (as well as his retaliation claims under federal…

Read More NYC Human Rights Law Retaliation Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Race Discrimination and Hostile Work Environment Claims Properly Dismissed
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In Rogers v. Fashion Inst. of Tech. et al, No. 14-CV-6420 (AJN), 2017 WL 1078572 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 21, 2017), the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s (an African American part-time adjunct professor in FIT’s production management department) claims of race discrimination. (This decision follows a prior dismissal and…

Read More FIT Professor’s Race Discrimination Claims Proceed in Part
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In United States v. N.Y. City Dep’t of Educ., No. 16-cv-4291, 2017 WL 435940 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 31, 2017), an employment (race) discrimination case asserted by New York City teachers, the court recommended that defendants’ motion to dismiss be granted and denied in part. The plaintiff-teachers alleged that the principal of Pan American International High School (PAIHS),…

Read More Court Cites and Applies the Doctrine of “Constructive Involuntary Transfer” in Teachers’ Race Discrimination Case Against the New York City Department of Education
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Here is the recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Springs v. City of New York et al (SDNY 17-cv-00451), in which a black firefighter alleges that he endured sexual hazing and race discrimination. Among other things, plaintiff alleges that one defendant told him “I don’t like you … blacks getting on the job this way. You don’t have good…

Read More Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Hazing and Race Discrimination at NY Fire Dept.
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In Green v. Avis Budget Grp., Inc., No. 11-CV-00269V(F), 2017 WL 35452 (W.D.N.Y. Jan. 4, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s employment discrimination (disparate treatment), hostile work environment, and retaliation claims. Here I’ll discuss the court’s evaluation of the “adverse employment action” element of the prima facie case[1]“To establish a prima facie case of employment discrimination…

Read More Criticism of Work, Failure to Provide Desired Schedule (Etc.) Were Not “Adverse Employment Actions”
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In Nadesan v. Citizens Fin. Grp., No. 16-942-CV, 2016 WL 7177496 (2d Cir. Dec. 8, 2016) (Summary Order; Judges Livingston, Chin, Carney), the court clarified the scope of 42 U.S.C. § 1981, a federal statute that prohibits certain forms of discrimination. Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provides, in pertinent part: All persons…

Read More 2d Circuit Clarifies Scope of Race Discrimination Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1981
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In Lawrence v. Sol G. Atlas Realty Co., No. 14-cv-3616, 2016 WL 7335612 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 16, 2016), the court denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s retaliation claims. (This decision follows the Second Circuit’s October 28, 2016 decision vacating the district court’s order compelling arbitration of plaintiff’s claims.) Here are the facts, as summarized…

Read More Black Porter Sufficiently Pleads Retaliation, But Not Against an Individual Who Did Not Have the Requisite “Personal Involvement”
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In McFadden v. Cty. of Monroe, No. 14-2167, 2016 WL 7107468 (2d Cir. Dec. 6, 2016) (Summary Order), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race discrimination and retaliation claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Municipal Liability As to municipal liability, the court explained that…

Read More Court Discusses Municipal, Individual, and “Cat’s Paw” Liability in Race Discrimination Case
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