In Burhans v. Lopez, decided June 10, 2014, the Southern District of New York denied defendant Sheldon Silver’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ amended federal court complaint for failure to state a claim. This lawsuit arises out of sexual harassment committed by former New York State Assemblyman Vito Lopez against plaintiffs, who served as his legislative aides. As…
Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Continues Against Sheldon SilverIn Graham v. Women in Need, Inc., 13-cv-07063 (May 30, 2014), the Southern District of New York denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claims of disability discrimination and retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Facts Here are the facts, as alleged by plaintiff: Plaintiff is a former employee of WIN, a not-for-profit corporation organized…
Read More Stroke Victim Adequately Alleges Disability Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Under the Americans With Disabilities ActPayano v. CompassRock Real Estate LLC, decided by the Southern District of New York on May 12, 2014, discusses the application of the anti-retaliation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law. Plaintiff, a live-in apartment maintenance worker, alleged that he was only paid for 40 hours, even though he…
Read More Maintenance Worker Successfully Pleads Retaliation Claim Arising From Termination Following Wage ComplaintsBelow is the lawsuit, captioned Myrella Ikeda v. J. Sisters 57, Inc. et al., 14-cv-3570, recently filed in the Southern District of New York. According to the complaint: [Plaintiff] visited J. Sisters with a prominent Brazilian hairdresser and television and magazine reporter as part of a photo-shoot for a well known Brazilian fashion magazine. [Plaintiff] arrived…
Read More Model’s Botched Hair LawsuitThe court’s decision in Garrigan v. Ruby Tuesday, 14-cv-155 (S.D.N.Y. May 22, 2014) illustrates the important distinctions between pleading employment discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the much broader New York City Human Rights Law. Plaintiff claimed that she was harassed in the workplace because she would not…
Read More Plaintiff Successfully Pleads Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Under NYC Human Rights LawBelow is the complaint filed on May 12, 2014 in the Southern District of New York by television writer/producer and professor Mollie Fermaglich against New York University and others. The lawsuit is captioned Mollie Fermaglich v. New York University et al., 1:14-cv-03434, and has been assigned to Judge Engelmayer. Ms. Fermaglich, who is Jewish, asserts (among other things)…
Read More NYU Professor and TV Writer/Producer Mollie Fermaglich’s Federal Discrimination Suit Against NYUHere’s a little Mother’s Day-themed law for you. In Pierre v. City of New York, the Southern District of New York recommended the dismissal of various claims asserted by plaintiff against the City of New York, including for false arrest, excessive force, deprivation of property, violation of First Amendment rights, under federal law (through 42 USC…
Read More Mother’s Day Cards Are Not Exempt From General Vendor’s License RequirementBelow is the age and disability discrimination complaint, captioned Staropoli v. St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital and Debra Tompkins, 14 CV 3317, filed in the Southern District of New York on May 7, 2014. Plaintiff, who is 60 years old and suffers from Tourette Syndrome and Type II Diabetes, alleges, among other things, that “[b]y failing…
Read More Tourette Syndrome Discrimination LawsuitIn Catalanello v. Kramer (decided May 7, 2014), Southern District Judge Paul Engelmayer dismissed plaintiff Robert Catalanello’s complaint alleging defamation and false light invasion of privacy against law professor Zachary Kramer. Applying New Jersey law, the court held that the alleged defamatory statements (which were contained in Kramer’s law review article titled “Of Meat and Manhood” and…
Read More Court Dismisses Defamation and False Light/Privacy Claims Brought By Alleged Harasser Against Law ProfessorA recent Southern District decision, James v. NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, illustrates that the anti-discrimination laws are not a “general civility code” and underscores the critical requirement that, in order to be actionable, any alleged discrimination or harassment must be “because of” a protected characteristic (here, the plaintiff’s sex). Plaintiff, a female Special Officer in…
Read More Workplace Slap Was Not “Because Of” Plaintiff’s Sex; Sexual Harassment Claim Dismissed