In Ryan v. New York City Health & Hosps. Corp., 2017 NY Slip Op 32627(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Index 152457 /17 Dec. 15, 2017), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s New York Labor Law 740 whistleblower claim. This action arose from an incident in which plaintiff was “attacked and forcibly pushed” by another employee, resulting in…
Read More Whistleblower Claim Dismissed; Workplace Violence Was Not a “Public Hazard”In Petit v. Department of Educ. of the City of N.Y., 2017 NY Slip Op 32541(U), 155523/2016 (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Dec. 1, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s claims for discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Here I will discuss the court’s evaluation of plaintiff’s discrimination…
Read More Transfer to “Absent Teacher Reserve” Was Not an “Adverse Employment Action”; Discrimination Claim DismissedIn Volpe v. Paniccioli, 2017 NY Slip Op 51554(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Sup. Cty. Nov. 15, 2017), a case involving allegations of (inter alia) sexual harassment, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion to dismiss defendant’s counterclaims for, e.g., defamation. By her motion, plaintiff “contends that the statements she has made are absolutely privileged as they were made…
Read More Court in Sexual Harassment Case Holds That Providing Information to Press Was Not “Absolutely Privileged”; Denies Motion to Dismiss Defamation CounterclaimFrom Ortiz v. Gazes, LLC, 2017 NY Slip Op 32339(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. 150876/2015 Oct. 30, 2017): Defendants have articulated legitimate reasons for terminating plaintiff by pointing to, among other things, plaintiff’s chronic absences, lateness and her inability to handle some of the work necessary. However, defendants acknowledge that they did not address attendance issues with…
Read More Gender/Pregnancy Discrimination Case Survives Summary JudgmentIn Sims v. Columbia University, NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. 156566/2013 (Nov. 2, 2017) (J. James), the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims of age, race, and disability discrimination under the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws. Among its reasons for dismissal were that plaintiff did not…
Read More Alleged Racial Slurs (Including Reference to Bubbles, Michael Jackson’s Chimpanzee) Held Not ActionableFrom Lufuluabo v. Nord Anglia Educ. Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 32175(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Index # 159102/16 Oct. 16, 2017): Plaintiff has stated a potentially meritorious claim for discrimination under the NYCHRL. She is a member of a protected class and filed multiple complaints about comments by other employees, lack of diversity, and the negative treatment of…
Read More Plaintiff States Race Discrimination Claims Under the NYS and NYC Human Rights LawsIn Shirazi v. New York Univ., 2017 NY Slip Op 32013(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Index No. 161303/2014 Sept. 25, 2017) – in which plaintiff asserts claims of discrimination based on religion, race, national origin, disability, and retaliation – the court discussed and applied the “continuing violation” doctrine under the New York State and City…
Read More Court Explains and Applies the “Continuing Violation” Doctrine Applicable to Hostile Work Environment Claims Under the New York State and City Human Rights LawsIn Southerland v. Phoenix Constructors JV, 2017 NY Slip Op 32027(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. 156005/15 Sept. 26, 2017) (J. Kotler), the court (inter alia) denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s sex-based hostile work environment claim. From the decision: Here, contrary to defendants’ argument, plaintiff has set forth with sufficient particularity that she was subject to…
Read More Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Court Noted Co-Worker and Supervisor Called Plaintiff a “Bitch”From Morse v. Fidessa Corp., 2017 NY Slip Op 27276 (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Aug. 8, 2017): Here, plaintiff alleges that he was told he was fired because of his perceived marriage to Wakefield and that he would be considered for future employment if he ended his marriage with Wakefield (complaint ¶¶ 42, 43; proposed amended complaint…
Read More NYCHRL Marital Status Discrimination Claim Survives Dismissal