Interactive Process

In Solomon v. County of Nassau, No. 20-cv-5227, 2021 WL 5631766 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 1, 2021), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim of disability discrimination asserted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The court summarized the black-letter law regarding discrimination based on (including failure to accommodate) one’s “disability”: Discrimination under…

Read More ADA Discrimination Claim Sufficiently Alleged; Facts Indicated “Animosity” to Accommodate Plaintiff’s Disability
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In Catalano v. Fox Tel. Stas., Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 04463 (App. Div. 1st Dept. June 6, 2019), the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the lower court’s dismissal on summary judgment of plaintiff’s disability discrimination claims under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. This case is instructive on the nature and…

Read More Employer Met Obligation to Have “Interactive Dialogue” Relating to Reasonably Accommodating Plaintiff’s Disability, Court Finds
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In Chernov v. Securities Training Corp., 2017 NY Slip Op 00126 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 10, 2017), an employment (disability) discrimination case, the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously reversed a lower court’s order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint. From the decision: Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the…

Read More Disability Discrimination Claims Revived in Light of Fact Issues as to Whether Employer Should Have Known of Disabling Anxiety Condition
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In Matter of Cruz v. Schriro, 2016 NY Slip Op 50363(U) (NY Sup Ct. NY Cty. March 24, 2016), the court held that the petitioner – a probationary NYC Dept. of Correction Correction Officer – sufficiently alleged that he suffered a “disability” under the NYC Human Rights Law and that the respondent failed to accommodate his disability.…

Read More Probationary Corrections Officer Sufficiently Alleges That Rikers Island-Related Hives and Allergic Reactions Constituted a “Disability” Under the NYC Human Rights Law
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A recent state appellate decision, Cohen v. State of New York (App. Div. 2nd Dept. June 17, 2015), explains an employer’s duties regarding a requested accommodation for a disability under the New York State Human Rights Law. In Cohen, the Appellate Division, Second Department reversed the lower court’s grant of summary judgment to defendant on plaintiff’s…

Read More Rejection of Accommodation Request Results in Reversal of Summary Judgment for Defendant in Disability Discrimination Case
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In Gewirtz v. New York City Dept. of Educ., 2015 NY Slip Op 50713(U) (NY Sup. Qns. Cty. May 4, 2015), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s disability discrimination (failure to accommodate) and retaliation claims under the New York State Human Rights Law (SHRL) and New York City Human Rights Law (CHRL).…

Read More Teacher’s Disability Discrimination (Failure to Accommodate) and Retaliation Claims Continue
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In Vangas v. Montefiore Medical Center, 11-cv-6722 (SDNY 4/3/15), the Southern District of New York (among other rulings) upheld a jury verdict that the defendant failed to accommodate the plaintiff’s disability (cancer) in violation of the New York State Human Rights Law. In this disability discrimination case, defendant terminated plaintiff from her position as an analyst…

Read More Court Upholds Jury Verdict That Failure to Allow Work From Home Amounted to Denial of Reasonable Accommodation for Disability
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Goonan v. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, decided July 22, 2014, illustrates an employer’s obligation to reasonably accommodate employees with known disabilities and to engage in an “interactive process” to determine what accommodation(s) are appropriate. Plaintiff, who worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for 25 years, suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder…

Read More 9/11-Related PTSD Disability Discrimination Case Continues
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In Petrone v. Hampton Bays Union Free School District (Summary Order dated May 28, 2014), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s disability discrimination claim. This case illustrates that, in order to succeed on a federal disability discrimination claim – whether based on an “adverse action” or “failure to accommodate” theory – an employee must identify an…

Read More Teacher With Mental Illness Loses Disability Discrimination Case, Where Requested Accommodation (Unpaid Leave) Was Not “Reasonable” Absent Assurance of Return
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