Below is the complaint filed on June 11, 2014 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against United Health Programs of America, Inc. and Cost Containment Group, Inc. The suit alleges, among other things, that defendants forced employees to engage in practices pursuant to a belief system called “Harnessing Happiness” (commonly known as “Onionhead”), including praying, reading…
Read More “Onionhead” Religious Discrimination LawsuitThis week in Litzman v. City of New York, Southern District of New York Judge Harold Baer largely sided with plaintiff, Probationary New York City Police Officer Fishel Litzman, in his lawsuit alleging religious discrimination. Plaintiff follows the rules and traditions of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish community, and his Orthodox Jewish faith prohibits him from…
Read More SDNY Holds That NYPD Failed to Reasonably Accommodate Jewish Officer’s Religious BeliefsOn August 30, 2011, Mayor Bloomberg signed into law amendments to the New York City Human Rights Law (specifically, to sections 8-102(18) and 8-107(3)(b) of the New York City Administrative Code) which effectively make it more difficult for an employer to refuse to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs on the ground that the requested accommodation…
Read More Amendments to NYC Human Rights Law Provide Enhanced Protections Against Religious Discrimination in Employment