NYC Human Rights Law

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Sexual harassment cases are fact- and context-specific. There is no “bright line rule” as to when a comment or a touch “cross the line” from non-actionable to actionable. Such claims can be based on comments, physical touching, or some combination of the two. A recent decision, Batten v. Global Contact Services, LLC, 15-cv-2382, 2018 WL…

Read More Sexual Harassment / Hostile Work Environment Based on “Hug” Was Actionable, Court Holds
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In a recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Jung v. Soho House, NY Sup Ct. NY Cty. Index No. 155882/2018 (filed June 22, 2018), plaintiff Hyun Jae Jung (known on Instagram as Miju Bijou) alleges, inter alia, that defendant Soho House’s “employees denied access of the Club to Plaintiff and her emotional support animal” – a French bulldog named…

Read More Lawsuit: Public Accommodation Discrimination Claim Against Soho House Following Support Dog-Based Ejection
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Today is the 2018 NYC Pride March, which celebrates the LGBT community and commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969. Since last year’s March, there have been several interesting developments in the area of LGBT rights. For example, earlier this year the Second Circuit held (en banc) in Zarda v. Altitude Express that Title VII of the…

Read More NYC Pride Parade 2018
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In Miller v. News Am., 2018 NY Slip Op 03946 (App. Div. 1st Dept. June 5, 2018), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s age discrimination and retaliation under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: Plaintiff minimally established a prima facie case of age discrimination by demonstrating that he was a…

Read More Court Affirms Dismissal of Freelance Photographer’s Age Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
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In Reveyosos v. Town Sports Intl., LLC, 2018 NY Slip Op 04441 (App. Div. 1st Dept. June 14, 2018), a jury issued a verdict for plaintiff on her disability discrimination claim under the NYC Human Rights Law. The trial court granted defendant’s motion to set aside the jury verdict as against the weight of the evidence…

Read More Disability Discrimination Jury Verdict for Plaintiff Remains; No Undue Hardship Shown
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In Emamian v. Rockefeller University, 07-cv-3919, 2018 WL 2849700 (S.D.N.Y. June 8, 2018) – a race/national origin discrimination case – the court held, inter alia, that the jury’s emotional distress damages award of $2 million was excessive, and remitted that award to $200,000. After providing a summary of the relevant “black-letter” law in this area, the…

Read More Court Remits Emotional Distress Damages Award in Employment Discrimination Case From $2M to $200K
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In Whitehurst v. Staten Island University Hospital et al, , 18-cv-1090, 2018 WL 2744710 (E.D.N.Y. June 6, 2018), the court, inter alia, denied plaintiff’s motion to remand her case back to state court. In evaluating plaintiff’s claims of disability discrimination against the Union, the court explained: To make out a claim under either the NYCHRL…

Read More Court: Union’s Decision Not to Pursue Arbitration Not Shown as Being “Because of” Disability (Sleep Apnea)
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In Watkins v. New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., 2018 NY Slip Op 31054, 2018 WL 2445548 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Index No. 152836/2013, May 11, 2018), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Here I will focus on the court’s assessment of…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed; Negative Comments Insufficient
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In Isbell et al v. City of New York, 2018 WL 2389075 (S.D.N.Y., May 25, 2018), the court (inter alia) denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims under the NYC Human Rights Law (but granted their motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ discrimination claims under federal and state law). In so doing, the court highlights the relative…

Read More Discrimination Claims Survive Under the NYC Human Rights Law
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In Boliak v. Reilly, 2018 NY Slip Op 03745 (App. Div. 1st Dept. May 24, 2018), the court overturned the dismissal[1]Boliak v. Reilly, 2017 NY Slip Op 32010, Index No. 153941/2016, Judge Erika Edwards, Sept. 22, 2017. of plaintiff’s employment discrimination claims under the NYC Human Rights Law against Father Michael P. Reilly and others. From…

Read More Employment Discrimination Claims Reinstated Against Father Reilly et al
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