In 2015 I wrote a blog post about a Southern District of New York decision and order in a case captioned Varughese v. Mount Sinai Med. Ctr., No. 12-cv-8812 CM JCF, 2015 WL 1499618 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2015), which granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed with prejudice all of plaintiff Dr. Leena Varughese’s claims…
Read More Bullying, Censorship, and Baseless Lawsuit Threats: Dr. Leena VarugheseIn Hermés of Paris, Inc. v. Swain, No. 16-CV-6255 (CM), 2016 WL 4990340 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 13, 2016), the court granted the request by petitoner (Hermes) to compel arbitration of the respondent/employee’s claims. Respondent, who worked in one of Hermes’ retail locations, filed a lawsuit in New Jersey state court alleging claims of sexual orientation discrimination, creation of…
Read More Sexual Orientation Discrimination Claim Must Be Arbitrated; Consent to Arbitration Was “Knowing and Voluntary”In CHRISTIAN ESPINAL, Plaintiff, v. THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, RAMON MARTINEZ, Individually, KIM KADEL, Individually, & TERRI CALDES, Individually, Defendants., No. 16 CIV. 4100 (CM), 2016 WL 6561406 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 24, 2016), the court held that issues of fact precluded dismissal of plaintiff’s sexual harassment claims. Specifically, the court…
Read More Fact Issues Preclude Dismissal of Title VII Sexual Harassment and NYCHRL Aiding and Abetting Claim Against Columbia University; Alleged Release Not DispositiveIn Mira v. Kingston, 15-cv-09989, 2016 WL 5867448 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 3, 2016), the court considered, and denied, plaintiff’s motion to consolidate two employment discrimination actions. The court’s decision turned on the application of Rule 42(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which provides: “If actions before the court involve a common question of law…
Read More Court Denies Motion to Consolidate Two Unrelated Employment Discrimination Cases; “Discriminatory Conspiracy” Not Plausibly AllegedIn Kasiotakis v. Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc., No. 14 CIV. 462 CM, 2015 WL 6125356 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 16, 2015), the court granted defendant Macy’s motion for summary judgment as to plaintiff’s national origin discrimination complaint. The court explained that plaintiff failed to prove “pretext” as part of the burden-shifting analysis as provided for by McDonnell…
Read More Greek Ancestry Not Connected to Termination; Discrimination Case DismissedIn Lott v. Coreone Techs., LLC, No. 14-CV-5848 (CM), 2016 WL 462486 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2016), plaintiff asserted age discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation claims against his former employer. The court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to some of plaintiff’s claims (e.g., discriminatory failure to promote and discriminatory termination), but denied it as…
Read More Retaliatory Firing Claim Survives Dismissal in Light of Evidence that Reduction-in-Force Was PretextualIn Rubin v. Abbott Labs., No. 13 CIV. 8667 CM, 2015 WL 5679644 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 23, 2015), the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law, but denied it as to her…
Read More Complaining of Harassment Only to Harasser Provides Employer With Defense to Harassment Claim Under NY State Discrimination LawThe court’s decision in Varughese v. Mount Sinai Med. Ctr., No. 12 CIV. 8812 CM JCF, 2015 WL 1499618 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2015) provides an example of what circumstances will not give rise to an actionable hostile work environment claim. From the decision: In the end, [d]etermining whether workplace harassment was severe or pervasive enough to be actionable…
Read More Court Dismisses Doctor’s Race, Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Against Mt. SinaiIn Cadet v. Deutsche Bank Securities, 11-cv-7964, 2013 WL 3090690 (SDNY June 18, 2013), decided on June 18, 2013, the Southern District of New York (McMahon, J.) denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment as to plaintiff’s race discrimination claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. 1981, but dismissed his…
Read More Plaintiff’s Title VII and Section 1981 Race Discrimination Claims Survive in Part