Employment Discrimination

Employment discrimination law is (for the most part) statutory, and is distributed among a variety of federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Although these statutes’ protections may overlap, they differ in terms of (e.g.) which employers are covered, administrative filing prerequisites, and damages/remedies. Below is a summary (not a complete listing or explanation) of…

Read More Which Employment Discrimination Laws Protect New York City Workers?
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In Walker v. H & M Henner & Mauritz LP, 16-cv-03818 (SDNY Sept. 16, 2016), the court granted the plaintiff’s motion to quash subpoenas that defendant proposed to serve on plaintiff’s former and current employers and schools she attended, in order to support its “after acquired evidence” defense. Defendant argued that “during the course of…

Read More Court Quashes Subpoenas to Obtain Prior Employment Information to Support “After Acquired Evidence Defense” in Race Discrimination Case
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Fox News has settled Gretchen Carlson’s sexual harassment lawsuit against former network president Roger Ailes for $20 million. DailyMail.com cites the following as a statement issued by Fox: 21st Century Fox is pleased to announce that it has settled Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit. During her tenure at Fox News, Gretchen exhibited the highest standards of journalism and professionalism. She…

Read More Gretchen Carlson v. Roger Ailes Sexual Harassment Case Ends With $20M Settlement & Apology
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In Griffin v. Sirva Inc., No. 15-1307, 2016 WL 4524466 (2d Cir. Aug. 30, 2016), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit identified so-far unanswered questions relating to liability under Section 296(15) of the New York State Human Rights Law, which prohibits the denial of employment on the basis of a criminal conviction.…

Read More 2nd Circuit Certifies Three Questions to the NY Court of Appeals Regarding Liability Under the NYS Human Rights Law’s Provision Prohibiting Denial of Employment on the Basis of a Criminal Conviction
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In a recently-filed Manhattan federal court complaint, captioned Davy v. Darren Davy (SDNY 16-07083), plaintiff Angela Maria Puerta – a nanny and housekeeper who worked for defendants Darren Davy and Asmaa Davy – asserts claims of unpaid wages, hostile work environment, and unlawful termination. From the complaint: 1. For more than two years, [plaintiff] worked…

Read More Nanny/Housekeeper’s Wage/Hour, Hostile Work Environment, Unlawful Termination Allegations Against Darren & Asmaa Davy
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By a motion filed on August 29, 2016 in New York State court, Defendants seek to compel plaintiff Andrea Tantaros to pursue her sexual harassment (and other) claims in arbitration, rather than in court. (You can access public filings in this case, Tantaros v. Fox News et al, 157054/2016, as well as other cases, here.) From…

Read More Defendants Move to Compel Arbitration in Andrea Tantaros’ Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
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One type of disability discrimination claim recognized by the anti-discrimination laws is a so-called “failure to accommodate” claim. This article is meant to give an overview of general principles applicable; it is not intended to cover all aspects of the law on this topic. In order to establish a failure to accommodate claim under the…

Read More The “Failure to Accommodate Disability” Cause of Action
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In employment discrimination law, the so-called “same actor inference” holds that “[w]hen the person who made the decision to fire was the same person who made the decision to hire, it is difficult to impute to [him] an invidious motivation that would be inconsistent with the decision to hire.” Orellana v. Reiss Wholesale Hardware Co., No.…

Read More The “Same Actor Inference” in Employment Discrimination Law
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Not every action taken by an employer against an employee is actionable under the anti-discrimination laws, even if the action is tied to a so-called protected characteristic. The dividing line between actionable and non-actionable conduct – for claims of retaliation or status-based discrimination – is the presence, or absence, of an “adverse employment action.” As…

Read More What is an “Adverse Employment Action”?
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In Miller v. Kendall, No. 14-CV-393, 2016 WL 4472748 (W.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2016), the court held that plaintiff plausibly alleged disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The court declined to adopt a Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation to dismiss plaintiff’s ADA claim. This decision addresses the issue of what constitutes “essential functions” of one’s…

Read More State Trooper’s ADA Disability Discrimination Claim Survives Dismissal, Notwithstanding Doctor’s Note
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