FRCP 12(b)(6)

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In Vasquez v. Empress Ambulance Serv., Inc., No. 14 CIV. 8387 NRB, 2015 WL 5037055 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 26, 2015), the court addressed the following question: [W]hether an employer is liable for unlawfully retaliating against a plaintiff employee when (1) the plaintiff reports that a coworker [here, Gray] has sexually harassed her, (2) the employer promptly…

Read More Court Discusses and Applies “Cat’s Paw” Theory in Sexual Harassment/Retaliation Case
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Many employers use handbooks or manuals that provide details and instructions to employees regarding the terms and conditions of employment. Under certain limited circumstances, an employment manual/handbook may the source of contractual rights. A recent decision, Kunda v. Caremark PhC, L.L.C., No. 14-CV-6125 JFB AYS, 2015 WL 4768817 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 13, 2015), addresses the issue. In that case, the…

Read More CVS’ Employment Handbook Was Not a Contract, Court Holds
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In Nunez v. New York State Dep’t of Corr. & Cmty. Supervision, No. 14-CV-6647 JMF, 2015 WL 4605684 (S.D.N.Y. July 31, 2015), the court held that plaintiff – a parole officer – plausibly alleged sexual harassment under the New York City Human Rights Law, but not the New York State Human Rights Law. Plaintiff alleged that…

Read More Parole Officer Sufficiently Alleges Sexual Harassment Under NYC Human Rights Law
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In O’Grady v. Bluecrest Capital Mgmt. LLP, No. 15-CV-1108 SHS, 2015 WL 3740701 (S.D.N.Y. June 15, 2015), the court dismissed, under FRCP 12(b)(6), plaintiff’s claims for a bonus and severance pay. This case illustrates that courts will look to the terms of an employee’s employment agreement when assessing those claims. As to plaintiff’s claim for a…

Read More Court Rejects Terminated Employee’s Claim to Bonus and Severance
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In Lico v. TD Bank, 2015 WL 3467159 (EDNY June 1, 2015), the Eastern District of New York held that the plaintiff successfully alleged a violation of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) § 207(r). That statute, titled “Reasonable break time for nuring mothers”, provides, in pertinent part: (A) a reasonable break time for an employee to express…

Read More Court Holds FLSA’s Lactation Statute is Privately Enforceable and Explains Remedies for Violation
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In Rock v. Blaine, 2015 WL 3795886 (NDNY June 17, 2015), the court denied defendant State of New York’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s retaliation claim against it. Plaintiff, a corrections officer, sued the State of New York and three individuals under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, alleging retaliation for making a…

Read More Female Corrections Officer Sufficiently Alleges Retaliation Against the State of New York
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In Catapano-Fox v. City of New York, No. 14 CIV. 8036 KPF, 2015 WL 3630725 (S.D.N.Y. June 11, 2015), the Southern District of New York denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim that she was fired in retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment. This decision provides a good overview of the legal principles governing the proper…

Read More Retaliation Claim, Based on Termination in Response to Sexual Harassment Complaints, May Proceed
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The Southern District of New York recently denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint alleging sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and retaliation against Urban Outfitters. In Swiderski v. Urban Outfitters, 14-cv-6307, 2015 WL 3513088 (SDNY June 4, 2015), the court held that the plaintiff pleaded an actionable hostile work environment claim based on the conduct…

Read More Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Lawsuit (Based in Part on Customer Conduct) Against Urban Outfitters Continues
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A recent decision, DeLaurencio v. Brooklyn Children’s Center, Superintendent (EDNY May 29, 2015), reiterates that Title VII is not a “general civility code” and that “[w]ork environments that are hostile for non-discriminatory reasons do not fall within the ambit of Title VII.” In this case, the court held that none of the allegations in plaintiff’s…

Read More Employment Discrimination / Hostile Work Environment Allegations Amounting to Rude Conduct Unmotivated by Discriminatory Animus Fail to State a Claim
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In Leon v. NYC Dept. of Education, a Summary Order dated May 22, 2015, the Second Circuit vacated the dismissal of plaintiff’s age/disability discrimination, retaliation, and accommodation claims, and held that a finding pursuant to NY Education § 3020-a that a teacher was fired for “cause” does not necessarily preclude a viable claim for (e.g.) discriminatory termination…

Read More Employment Discrimination Claims Not Collaterally Estopped By Finding That Teacher Was Fired For “Cause” Under New York Education Law § 3020-a
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