In a recently-filed motion, defendants Charlie Rose Inc. and Charles P. Rose move to dismiss claims against them in a lawsuit – captioned Harris et al v. CBS News Communications Inc. et al, N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. INdex 154172/2018 – alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation under the NYC Human Rights Law. (CBS…
Read More Charlie Rose, CBS Move to Dismiss Sexual Harassment SuitFrom Johnson v. Schmid et al, 2018 WL 4261672 (2d Cir. Sept. 7, 2018) (Summary Order), the court, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race discrimination claim. From the Order: First, a plaintiff may establish an inference of discrimination by establishing “that a similarly situated employee not in the relevant protected group received better…
Read More Race Discrimination Claim Properly Dismissed; Court Cites Insufficient Comparator EvidenceIn a September 6, 2018 decision issued in the litigation captioned Deidre Holmes Clark v. Allen & Overy LLP, the New York Court of Appeals inter alia denied the plaintiff’s motion seeking leave to appeal a March 8, 2018 Appellate Division, First Department decision affirming a Supreme Court order dismissing plaintiff’s complaint and awarding sanctions for frivolous conduct. In this…
Read More Court of Appeals Declines to Hear Appeal of Dismissal of Sexual Harassment Lawsuit in Clark v. Allen & Overy LawsuitFrom Morse v. Fidessa Corp., 2018 NY Slip Op 05975 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. Sept. 6, 2018): At issue in this matter of first impression is whether the New York City Human Rights Law’s (HLR) prohibition against discrimination based on “marital status” encompasses a prohibition against discrimination on the basis of the identity of a person’s…
Read More Court Broadly Construes NYC Human Rights Law re Discrimination Based on “Marital Status”In Emmanuel v. Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., No. 159316/15, 2018 WL 4148520 (Sup Ct, New York County Aug. 30, 2018) (J. Bannon), the court, inter alia, granted defendants summary judgment on plaintiff’s NYC Human Rights Law hostile work environment claim. From the decision: The court rejects the plaintiff’s contention that she raised a triable issue…
Read More Gender/Pregnancy Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Attendance Monitoring InsufficientEmployment discrimination claims are frequently analyzed pursuant to the well-known McDonnell Douglas[1]McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). burden shifting framework. Under that framework, the plaintiff must first establish a prima facie case of discrimination by showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that: (1) he is a member of a protected class; (2) he is…
Read More Office Relocation as an “Adverse Employment Action”In employment discrimination cases, defendants sometimes argue, in effect, that unlawful discrimination can not have occurred, since the alleged victim and the alleged discriminator/harasser are in the same “protected class.” The law is to the contrary. For example, in Poliard v. Saintilus Day Care Center, Inc., 11-CV-5174, 2013 WL 1346238, at *4 (E.D.N.Y.,2013), the court noted (albeit…
Read More Discrimination Where Discriminator and Victim Are in the Same Protected ClassIn Pothen v. StonyBrook University, 2018 WL 3954148 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 15, 2018), the court adopted a Report and Recommendation (R&R) that plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation claims be dismissed. In doing so, the court discussed the so-called “continuing violation” doctrine. From the decision: the Court agrees with the R&R’s conclusion that plaintiff’s claims based on separate,…
Read More Absent Evidence of “Practice or Policy” of Discrimination, Court Declines to Apply “Disfavored” Continuing Violations Doctirine “Continuing Violation” Doctrine Held InapplicableIn Johnson v IAC/Interactivecorp., No. 155837/2014, 2018 WL 3536599, 2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 31720(U) (Sup Ct, New York County July 16, 2018), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s claim for gender discrimination. This case illustrates, among other things, that when assessing employment discrimination claims, context counts. From the decision: It is significant here that plaintiff was…
Read More “College Humor” Gender Discrimination Claim DismissedIn Morales v. PepsiCo. Inc., 16-cv-6597, 2018 WL 3853390 (W.D.N.Y. August 14, 2018), the plaintiff filed a lawsuit against his former employer alleging race discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law. Not uncommonly, a discovery dispute arose. Among other issues contested…
Read More Court Addresses Discovery Relating to Emotional Distress Damages in Title VII Discrimination Case