Employment Discrimination

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In Tomizawa v. ADT LLC, 13-CV-6366, 2015 WL 5772106 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2015) (decision adopting Report & Recommendation), plaintiff alleged that his former employer discriminated against him and terminated his employment on the basis of his Japanese national origin, and that his supervisor retaliated against him for complaining of discrimination. From the (adopted) Report &…

Read More Court Dismisses “Accent-Related” National Origin Discrimination Claim
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The court’s decision in Varughese v. Mount Sinai Med. Ctr., No. 12 CIV. 8812 CM JCF, 2015 WL 1499618 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2015) provides an example of what circumstances will not give rise to an actionable hostile work environment claim. From the decision: In the end, [d]etermining whether workplace harassment was severe or pervasive enough to be actionable…

Read More Court Dismisses Doctor’s Race, Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Against Mt. Sinai
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In a recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Termini v. B&A Pork Store Inc., Robert Brannigan, and James Brannigan (15-cv-5716, EDNY filed 10/2/5), plaintiff alleges that while employed by B&A Pork Store in Brooklyn, she was subjected to sexual harassment/hostile work environment and retaliation for rejecting sexual advances. She alleges that the store’s owner, “RB”, fired her because…

Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Brooklyn Pork Store
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In Postell v. Rochester City Sch. Dist., No. 11-CV-6550L, 2015 WL 5882287 (W.D.N.Y. Oct. 8, 2015), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s race discrimination claim under 42 USC 1981. Plaintiff, an African American school counselor for John Marshall High School, alleged (among other things) that the defendant subjected her to race…

Read More African American School Counselor Survives Summary Judgment on Race Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
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In Sosa v. Local Staff LLC (14-3704-cv), a Summary Order issued by the Second Circuit on Oct. 9, 2015, the court discussed what constitutes “protected activity” for purposes of asserting a retaliation claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the NYC Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). In this employment discrimination case,…

Read More Complaint About “You’re So Street” Comment Was Not “Protected Activity”; Retaliation Claim Properly Dismissed
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A recent Southern District decision, Villar v. City of New York, No. 09-CV-7400 DAB, 2015 WL 5707125 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2015), illustrates how a plaintiff can overcome summary judgment on a gender discrimination claim by demonstrating that a defendant’s proffered legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the discriminatory act is a “pretext” for discrimination. Plaitniff, a Hispanic…

Read More Wrongful Termination Gender Discrimination Claim Against NYPD Survives Summary Judgment
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In Szwalla v. Time Warner Cable, LLC, No. 3:13-CV-713 MAD/DEP, 2015 WL 5708538 (N.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2015), the court explained and applied the so-called “Faragher-Ellerth” affirmative defense to a hostile work environment claim. In this case, plaintiff (an account executive for the Time Warner defendants) alleged that defendants engaged in sexual harassment, subjected her to a…

Read More Court Applies “Faragher-Ellerth” Defense to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Title VII Claim
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In a recent lawsuit, captioned Anil v. Cipriani USA, Inc. (SDNY 15-cv-7430 filed 9/22/15), plaintiff alleges that while working at Cipriani she was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, and retaliation after complaining about the treatment she endured. She alleges, for example, that her immediate supervisor asked plaintiff if she wanted to…

Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Cipriani
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In McCall v. Genpak, LLC, No. 13-CV-1947 KMK, 2015 WL 5730352 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2015), the court denied defendants’ summary judgment motion on plaintiff’s race discrimination and hostile work environment claims. Race Discrimination Based on “Adverse Action” Plaintiff alleged that he was subjected to two adverse employment actions – demotion and termination – because of…

Read More Plaintiff Survives Summary Judgment on Race Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims
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