In Smith v. Meta Platforms, Inc., 24 Civ. 4633 (JPC), 2025 WL 2782484 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2025), the court held that a party invoking the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (EFAA) must actually allege facts that constitute sexual harassment. Here, the plaintiff did not: To determine whether this…
Read More Non-Sexual Gender Discrimination Did Not Trigger EFAA’s Arbitration BarIn Smith v. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, LLC, 2025 WL 2403042 (D.Conn. Aug. 19, 2025), the court granted the defendant’s motion to compel arbitration of plaintiff’s sex-based hostile work environment claim under Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the court held that plaintiff’s claims did not implicate the protections of the Ending of…
Read More Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Not Plausibly Alleged, EFAA Did Not Apply, Arbitration CompelledIn Lambert et al v. New Start Capital LLC et al, 1:24-cv-8055-GHW, 2025 WL 2295254 (S.D.N.Y. August 7, 2025), the court addressed a novel legal questions regarding the relatively new Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA). In sum, one plaintiff – Lambert, a Black woman – alleges that she was…
Read More SDNY Interprets the EFAA to Apply to Sexual Harassment & Related Wage-and-Hour Claims, But Not to Third Plaintiff’s Claims Unrelated to Sexual Harassment ClaimsIn Mahn v. Lawrence N. Mullman et al, Index No. 952263/23, Case No. 2024–03039, 2025 WL 408690 (N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept. Feb. 6, 2025), the Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed a lower court’s determination that the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (EFAA) did not invalidate the parties’ arbitration agreement.…
Read More Sexual Assault-Related Claims Subject to Arbitration and Not Barred by EFAA, Court HoldsIn Urban v. 35 East 19th Street Medicine, P.C., No. 151191/2024, 2024 WL 5248282 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Dec. 20, 2024), a gender/pregnancy discrimination case, the court granted the defendant’s motion to compel arbitration. From the decision: New York public policy favors enforcement of contracts for arbitration (Cooper v Bruckner, 21 A.D.3d 758…
Read More Court Grants Defendant’s Motion to Compel Arbitration of Gender/Pregnancy Discrimination ClaimsIn Singh v. Meetup LLC et al, 23-CV-9502 (JPO), 2024 WL 3904799 (S.D.N.Y. August 22, 2024), the court granted defendant’s motion to compel arbitration, holding that the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (EFAA) did not apply, since plaintiff’s allegations – while arguably constituting discrimination based on sex, did not…
Read More Sex Discrimination Allegations Did Not Plausibly Allege “Sexual Harassment”, Ending Forced Arbitration Act Not TriggeredIn Palmer v. Starbucks Corporation et al, 23 Civ. 6951 (JPC), 2024 WL 2779032 (S.D.N.Y. May 28, 2024), the court granted defendants’ motion to compel arbitration of plaintiff’s discrimination and hostile work environment claims and stayed the action pending arbitration. From the decision: Palmer has failed to show a genuine issue of material fact to…
Read More Court Grants Starbucks’ Motion to Compel Arbitration of Employment Discrimination ClaimsIn Kim v. Evergreen Adult Day Care in NY Inc., 22-CV-548 (AMD) (CLP), 2024 WL 989909 (E.D.N.Y. March 6, 2024), the court granted defendants’ motion to compel arbitration of plaintiffs’ employment discrimination and hostile work environment claims. This decision illustrates the uphill battle faced by a plaintiff-employee seeking to avoid an arbitration agreement on the…
Read More Court Grants Motion to Compel Arbitration of Discrimination Claims, Notwithstanding Alleged Language BarrierIn O’Sullivan et al v. Jacaranda Club, LLC et al, No. 1779, 2023-04923, 2024 WL 847860 (N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept., Feb. 29, 2024), the court affirmed the lower court’s decision granting defendant’s motion to compel arbitration of their sexual harassment and other claims. From the decision: Asserting claims under New York State and City Human Rights…
Read More Sexual Harassment Claims Subject to Arbitration Agreement; EFAA Inapplicable, Court RulesIn Edwards v. CVS Health Corporation, 1:23-cv-04340 (CM), 2024 WL 308093 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 25, 2024), the court, inter alia, granted defendant’s motion to compel arbitration of plaintiff’s sex-based hostile work environment claim asserted under the NYC Human Rights Law. In sum, the court held that the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA) did…
Read More Court, as “No Brainer”, Compels Arbitration of Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim