Disclaimer: The following article is a commentary on workplace dynamics and employment law principles for educational and informational purposes only. The author is expressing no legal opinion, nor making any statements of fact, regarding the specific individuals or incident referenced below. If you’ve been on TikTok, X, or law firm Reddit over the past few…
Read More Power, Sex, and Biglaw: Lessons From Central ParkIn Ouvrard v. Julien Farel, LLC, No. 161042/2020, 2026 WL 1590002 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. May 27, 2026), the court, inter alia, granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s national origin discrimination claims asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: Plaintiff alleges that defendants created a hostile work…
Read More National Origin (French) Discrimination Claims Dismissed; Neutral Policy Requiring English Only Was Not DiscriminatoryIn Rosa v. Amalgamated Bank, No. 156572/2025, 2026 WL 2078979 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. July 10, 2026), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: Plaintiffs pleaded that the alleged discriminatory conduct created a hostile work…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Survive Dismissal; Whether Conduct Amounted to “Petty Slights” or “Trivial Inconveniences” Was Not Resolvable on a Motion to DismissIn Sebastiani v. Brooklyn Hospital Center, No. 19-CV-253 (EK)(ST), 2026 WL 2031501 (E.D.N.Y. July 14, 2026), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion for reconsideration of the lower court’s decision that plaintiff presented enough evidence to survive summary judgment on their hostile work environment claims asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment Claims, Arising From Alleged Harassment By Ex-Girlfriend, Survives Summary Judgment; Motion for Reconsideration DeniedIn Cadet v. Macy’s, Inc., No. 22-CV-7406 (VSB), 2026 WL 1998595 (S.D.N.Y. July 10, 2026), the court, inter alia, denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims of race and national origin-based hostile work environment. As to the issue of whether the alleged conduct was sufficiently “severe” or “pervasive” under 42 USC § 1981…
Read More Race, National Origin Based Hostile Work Environment Claims Against Macy’s Survive Summary JudgmentIn Small v. Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), No. 158315/2024, 2026 WL 1880199 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. June 23, 2026), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff’s discrimination and hostile work environment claims are barred by the “election of remedies” doctrine under the New York State Human Rights Law. From the decision: [The NYSHRL] provides that “any…
Read More Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment Claims Barred by Election-of-Remedies DoctrineIn Kilvert v. City Winery, LLC, No. 161087/2024, 2026 WL 1847596 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. June 16, 2026), the court, inter alia, granted plaintiff’s motion to amend their complaint to add a claim of disability discrimination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: The standard for determining liability for discrimination-based…
Read More Disability Discrimination Claims Sufficiently Alleged; Leave to Amend Complaint GrantedIn Feliciano v. City of New York, No. 154804/2024, 2026 WL 1813759 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. June 10, 2026), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim of disability discrimination asserted under the New York City Human Rights Law. The court summarized the facts as follows: Plaintiff alleges that in 2006 she was hired as…
Read More NYPD Officer’s Disability Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment Claims Survive DismissalIn Nunez-Unda v. Adrien, No. 650971/2022, 2026 WL 1697697, at *9 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. June 04, 2026), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claims of retaliation asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: The NYSHRL prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee because…
Read More Retaliation Claims, Arising From Termination Following Complaints About Treatment of Foreign-Born, Visa-Dependent Employees, Survive DismissalIn Kay v. Banchik, No. 2025–04416, 2026 WL 1655952 (N.Y. App. Div. June 9, 2026), the court modified a lower court order to deny defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s employment discrimination complaint (for actions after a specified date) alleging discrimination under New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: The court properly…
Read More Age, Gender Discrimination Claims Sufficiently Alleged; Termination Shortly Followed Implementation of Policy Favoring Younger Partners