Court: U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit

In Rasko v. N.Y.C. Admin. for Children’s Servs., 17-967 (2d Cir. May 17, 2018) (Summary Order), the court, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim. The court explained the legal requirements for such a claim: To establish a hostile work environment claim, a plaintiff must show, inter alia, that the workplace was…

Read More 2d Circuit: Hostile Work Environment Properly Dismissed; Rudeness, Noise, Throwing Papers Held Insufficient
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In Duplan v. City of New York, 2018 WL 1996613 (2d Cir. April 30, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals held, inter alia, that plaintiff – a gay black Haitian man – sufficiently alleged retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The court initially held that plaintiff, a New York City…

Read More Title VII Retaliation Claim Survives Dismissal [Duplan v. City of New York]
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In HUA LIN, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Defendant-Appellee., 2018 WL 1940394, at *2 (C.A.2 (N.Y.), 2018) (Summary Order), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s Title VII retaliation claim. In resisting dismissal, plaintiff argued, inter alia, that the employer’s explanation for its failure to hire her shifted, justifying a finding of “but…

Read More Retaliation Claim Properly Dismissed, Despite Alleged Inconsistent Explanation [Lin v. NYS Dept. of Labor]
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In Richardson v. Manhattan New York City Transit Authority, 2018 WL 1547593 (2d Cir. March 29, 2018) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit vacated the lower court’s decision dismissing the pro se plaintiff’s Title VII gender discrimination claim, on the ground that plaintiff did not allege facts showing that the alleged harassment was “motivated by” her…

Read More Gender Discrimination Claim Stated; Allegations Included Male Coworker Calling Plaintiff a “Bitch”
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In Best v. Duane Reade, Inc. (2d Cir. 17-380 March 22, 2018) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s failure-to-accommodate, discrimination, and retaliation claims under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Here is the legal standard:[1]As usual, citations are omitted. ADA claims are analyzed under the burden-shifting framework established for discrimination claims:…

Read More Disability Discrimination Claims Properly Dismissed Against Duane Reade
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In Shaw v. McDonald, 17-1122, 2018 WL 1357382 (2d Cir. March 16, 2018) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of the plaintiff’s religious discrimination (disparate treatment) claim. The court gives us a refresher on the legal standard for pleading a discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including…

Read More Religious Discrimination Claim Dismissed; Remarks Held Not Probative
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In Chauca v. Abraham, 2018 WL 1352351 (2d Cir. March 16, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the district court erred in declining to submit the question of punitive damages to the jury under the New York City Human Rights Law. In a prior opinion,[1]Chauca v. Abraham, 841 F.3d…

Read More 2d Circuit: Lower Court Mistakenly Applied Higher Standard for Punitive Damages Under the NYC Human Rights Law
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In Penn v. New York Methodist Hospital, 2018 WL 1177293 (2d Cir. March 7, 2018), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race and religious discrimination claims asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the Opinion: [T]he district court did not err in applying the ministerial exception doctrine. While a…

Read More Citing the “Ministerial Exception,” 2d Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Title VII Race/Religious Discrimination Claim
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In Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc. (2d Cir. 15-3775 Feb. 26, 2018) (en banc), decided today by an en banc (i.e., full) Second Circuit panel, held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition on discrimination “because of … sex” extends to sexual orientation. The court’s 69-page majority opinion aligns Second Circuit law with positions…

Read More 2d Circuit Holds, En Banc, That Title VII Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation
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The law is well-settled that in order to file a claim for employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in federal court, a plaintiff “must first pursue available administrative remedies and file a timely complaint with the [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission].” See 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–5(e) and (f). This…

Read More 2d Circuit: Defendant Has Burden on “Administrative Exhaustion” For Title VII Employment Discrimination Claims
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