Court: SDNY

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In a lawsuit recently filed in Manhattan federal court (Ravina v. Columbia University, 16-cv-02137), the plaintiff – an Assistant Professor of Finance at Columbia University – alleges (among other things) that after enduring quid pro quo sexual harassment by a tenured professor, “Columbia refused to stop his discriminatory behavior”, “allowed [plaintiff] to continue to be victimized…

Read More Professor Files Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Against Columbia University
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In Christiansen v. Omnicom Group Inc., 15-cv-3440 (SDNY March 9, 2016), the court dismissed discrimination claims brought by plaintiff, an HIV-positive openly-gay man. The court dismissed plaintiff’s disability discrimination and retaliation claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the NYS Human Rights Law. As to plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim, the court explained: Statements…

Read More Court Declines to Extend Title VII to Cover Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation
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The Southern District of New York’s recent decision in Robinson v. Vineyard Vines, LLC, No. 15CIV4972VBJCM, 2016 WL 845283 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 4, 2016) provides an example of how the work product doctrine operates in the context of an employment discrimination/sexual harassment case. In this case, plaintiff alleged that another employee “repeatedly sexually harassed her and…

Read More Investigative Documents in Sexual Harassment Case Were Protected as Work Product
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In Lott v. Coreone Techs., LLC, No. 14-CV-5848 (CM), 2016 WL 462486 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2016), plaintiff asserted age discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation claims against his former employer. The court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to some of plaintiff’s claims (e.g., discriminatory failure to promote and discriminatory termination), but denied it as…

Read More Retaliatory Firing Claim Survives Dismissal in Light of Evidence that Reduction-in-Force Was Pretextual
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The Southern District of New York’s recent decision in Eisner v. City of New York, 15-cv-1888, provides a good overview of how courts analyze discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). It also reaffirms the principle that, absent the critical element of causation, merely…

Read More Court Dismisses Attorney’s Disability Discrimination Claims
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In Febrianti v. Worldwide, No. 15-CV-0635 (JMF), 2016 WL 50202 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 8, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation, hostile work environment, and constructive discharge claims. Here, plaintiff, who identifies as a Southeast Asian non-Chinese speaker, worked for defendant as a cleaner in the Union Square W Hotel. She alleged, among other things, that she…

Read More Hotel Cleaner’s Retaliation, Hostile Work Environment, Constructive Discharge Claims Insufficiently Alleged
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In Brailsford v. Zara USA, Inc., No. 14 CIV. 6999 (LGS), 2016 WL 626560 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 16, 2016), the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s employment (race) discrimination claims, asserted under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, against Zara. In sum, plaintiff alleges that while working…

Read More Court Dismisses Race Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment Claims Against Zara
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In a recently-filed lawsuit, Last v. Consolidated Edison (SDNY 16-cv-00468), plaintiff Jovira Last asserts that she experienced sex-based discrimination at her employer, Con Edison, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York City Human Rights Law. The complaint refers to “ConEd’s negative and stereotyped view of women…

Read More Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against Con Edison
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In a recent complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, Moore v. Despont Studios LLC et al, 15-cv-00619, plaintiff – an architect and former employee of Despont Studios LLC d/b/a The Office of Thierry W. Despont, Ltd. – asserts claims of gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and retaliation. From her complaint: In stark contrast to its progressive…

Read More Lawsuit: Pregnancy/Gender Discrimination, FMLA Retaliation Allegations Against Despont Studios LLC d/b/a The Office of Thierry W. Despont, Ltd.
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In Telemaque v. Marriott International, No. 14 CIV. 6336 (ER), 2016 WL 406384 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2016), the court (among other things) dismissed plaintiff’s disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act because he failed to plausibly allege that he suffered a “disability” within the meaning of the statute. Plaintiff’s allegations, in sum: First,…

Read More Court Holds That Arthritis and High Blood Pressure Were Not “Disabilities” Under the ADA
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