Hostile Work Environment

In John Doe v. The City of New York et al, 511209/2020, 2021 N.Y. Slip Op. 50916(U), 2021 WL 4468869 (Sup Ct, Sept. 29, 2021), the court held that plaintiff did not sufficiently allege a hostile work environment under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Among plaintiff’s allegations were that “he was…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Insufficiently Alleged; Not Enough That Plaintiff “Felt Disrespected”
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In Arbouin v. Bob’s Discount Furniture, LLC et al, 20-CV-1893, 2021 WL 4458932 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2021), the court, inter alia, adopted a Magistrate Judge’s Report & Recommendation that defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s hostile work environment sexual harassment claim be denied. From the decision: Defendants argue that the R&R errs in finding that the…

Read More Sexual Harassment Plausibly Alleged; Allegations Included Co-Worker’s Touching and Sexual (and Non-Sexual) Comments
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Some court decisions, particularly in the employment discrimination context, are perfect examples of “what not to do” in the workplace. In such a recent case, Shkoza v. NYC Health & Hospitals Corp., 20-CV-3646, 2021 WL 4340787 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2021), the court held that plaintiff sufficiently alleged a sex-based hostile work environment under the New…

Read More Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Sufficiently Alleged; Allegations Included “Wives” Comment, Inappropriate Touching
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In Zuckerman v. GW Acquisition LLC d/b/a G&W Industries et al, 20-CV-8742, 2021 WL 4267815 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 20, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s pregnancy/lactation-related hostile work environment claims. From the decision: The Court finds that Plaintiff has pled sufficient facts to indicate that the three elements of a hostile…

Read More Pregnancy-Related Hostile Work Environment Claims Survive Motion to Dismiss; Allegations Included Lactation Comments
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In Barney v. H.E.L.P. Homeless Service Corporation, 19 Civ. 5959, 2021 WL 4267629 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 20, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim sexual orientation-based hostile work environment asserted under the New York City Human Rights Law. Notably, the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s…

Read More Sexual Orientation Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Under City, But Not State and Federal, Law
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In Hawkins-El v. NYC Transit Authority, 18-cv-07167, 2021 WL 4222400 (EDNY Sept. 16, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s disability-based hostile work environment claim (asserted under the Americans with Disabilities Act) against the New York City Transit Authority. Plaintiff identified twelve incidents that he alleged created a hostile work environment, including plaintiff’s superintendent (Micelotta)…

Read More Hearing Disability Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed Against NYC Transit Authority
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In Tortorici v. Bus-Tev, LLC d/b/a Early Morning Seafood and Eric Tevrow, 17-cv-7507, 2021 WL 4177209 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 14, 2021), the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s gender-based hostile work environment claims on her New York State and City Human Rights Laws. This case illustrates the principle that, in order to make…

Read More Lewd & Inappropriate, But Not Actionable: Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed
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In Bonterre v. City of New York et al, 18 Civ. 745, 2021 WL 4060358 (SDNY Sept. 7, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion – under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c) – to dismiss plaintiff’s sexual harassment / hostile work environment claim. The court explained: In [the Second] Circuit, courts determining whether…

Read More Sexual Harassment Claim, Based on “Broomstick” Incident, Survives Dismissal
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In Thompson v. South Amboy Comprehensive Treatment Center, 2021 WL 3828833 (D.N.J. Aug. 27, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment sexual harassment claim. Here, plaintiff alleges that her former supervisor (Edwin Rivera) sexually assaulted her during a weekend outing in Atlantic City, and that her…

Read More Single Incident of Alleged Sexual Assault Supports Sexual Harassment / Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Erazo-Vazquez v. State Industrial Products Corp., 16-2709, 2021 WL 3910248 (D.Puerto Rico Aug. 31, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s age-based hostile work environment claim. Initially, the court cautioned against “blurring” the distinction between hostile work environment claims, on the one hand, and discrimination and retaliation claims, on the other: Plaintiff’s allegations closely…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Court Cautions Against “Repurposing” Discrete Acts Supporting Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
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