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 DismissalIn 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 ClaimIn 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 ClaimsIn Sansone v. Jazz Casino Company, LLC D/B/A Harrah’s Casino, No. 20-30640, 2021 WL 3919249 (5th Cir. Sept. 1, 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of plaintiff’s hostile work environment / sexual harassment claim. Plaintiff – a baccarat dealer – alleged, among other things, that she was harassed…
Read More Customer-Based Sexual Harassment / Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary Judgment Against Harrah’sIn Johnson v. Ford Motor Company, 2021 WL 3928920 (6th Cir. Sept. 2, 2021), the court reversed the lower court’s Order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim of race-based hostile work environment/harassment under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. From the decision: [T]he district court erred in granting summary judgment to Ford on the…
Read More “Intertwined” Race/Sex Harassment Claim Survives Summary Judgment Against Ford Motor CompanyIn Gates v. City of New York et al, 20 Civ. 3186, 2021 WL 3774189 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s claim of disability discrimination under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Plaintiff alleged that defendants discriminated against him on the basis of his perceived disability, namely, “depression/suicidal.” After outlining the “black…
Read More Court Dismisses NYPD Officer’s “Regarded As” Disability Discrimination ClaimIn Harris v. NYC Human Resources Administration et al, 20-cv-2011, 2021 WL 3855239 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 27, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s gender- and age-based hostile work environment claims under, respectively, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. As to plaintiff’s gender-based claim, the court…
Read More Age, Gender-Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed Against NYC Human Resources AdministrationIn Roberts v. The Sage Corporation et al, 20-cv-365, 2021 WL 3617670 (NDNY Aug. 16, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the decision: In contrast to Title VII discrimination and retaliation claims, hostile work environment claims involve a…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Post-Employment Conduct Not ActionableIn Hairston v. Christine Wormuth, Secretary, Department of the Army, N0. 20-1806, 2021 WL 3196469 (8th Cir. 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s hostile work environment sexual harassment claim against the defendant Army. Plaintiff, a general supply specialist, alleged that her immediate supervisor (Johnson) subjected her…
Read More Sexual Harassment Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed Against Army; “Nice Booty” Comment WithstandingFrom Maragh v. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. et al, 16-CV-7530, 2021 WL 3501238 (S.D.N.Y. August 5, 2021): Maragh’s hostile work environment claim is based on the same evidence as his discrimination claim. Thus, it suffers from the same fatal defects, including the dearth of admissible evidence, allegations of facially neutral conduct, and the amorphous…
Read More Title VII Co-Worker Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed Against RIOC