Retaliatory Counterclaims

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In Kennedy v. Intraspectrum Counseling, Ltd., No. 22-cv-05204, 2023 WL 6879485 (N.D.Ill. October 18, 2023), the court denied plaintiff’s motion to dismiss defendant’s counterclaims for breach of contract and conversion – which it alleged in response to plaintiff’s complaint alleging retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In sum,…

Read More Employer’s Counterclaims Against Employee, in Title VII Sexual Harassment / Retaliation Suit, Survive Dismissal
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In Jane Doe v. John Doe,[1]Ed. note: I have modified the name of Defendant to “John Doe” in light of (yet without acknowledging any obligation imposed by) the Court’s Order dated Nov. 5, 2021, NYSCEF Doc. No. 60. No. 155961/2020, 2021 WL 3290843 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Aug. 02, 2021) – a sexual…

Read More Sexual Harassment Plaintiff Denied Opportunity to Amend Complaint to Add Claims to Assert Defamation Counterclaim Was Retaliatory
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In Pozner v. Fox Broadcasting Co., No. 652096/2017, 2019 WL 6117960, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 33415(U) (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Nov. 18, 2019), the court dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim, which was based on the filing of a counterclaim by the defendant. Some background: The plaintiff (Pozner) worked was a Fox executive vice president.…

Read More Court Dismisses Retaliation Claim, Predicated on Counterclaim, Under the Noerr-Pennington Doctrine
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In Volpe v. Paniccioli, 2017 NY Slip Op 51554(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Sup. Cty. Nov. 15, 2017), a case involving allegations of (inter alia) sexual harassment, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion to dismiss defendant’s counterclaims for, e.g., defamation. By her motion, plaintiff “contends that the statements she has made are absolutely privileged as they were made…

Read More Court in Sexual Harassment Case Holds That Providing Information to Press Was Not “Absolutely Privileged”; Denies Motion to Dismiss Defamation Counterclaim
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Both Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibit – in addition to discrimination based on specified criteria/characteristics – “retaliation” for engaging in “protected activity”. In certain cases, “protected activity” can be the litigation itself. In the matter of Kerrie Campbell v. Chadbourne & Parke LLP,…

Read More Counterclaim Alleged to be Retaliatory in Gender Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit Against Chadbourne & Parke Law Firm
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In Baez v. Anne Fontaine USA, Inc., No. 14-CV-6621 (KBF), 2017 WL 57858 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 5, 2017), the Southern District of New York denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State and City Human Rights Laws, her hostile…

Read More Retaliation & Hostile Work Environment Claims, Based on Complaints of Bra-Less “Rumor” and “Office Drama”, Survive Summary Judgment
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A Manhattan federal jury recently awarded $2.2 million to male trucking company employee Raymond Rosas and rejected defendant’s counterclaim for conversion. In that lawsuit, captioned Rosas v. Balter Sales Co. Inc. et al. (SDNY 12-cv-6557), plaintiff – a Hispanic male – asserted claims of (e.g.) race discrimination, gender discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and…

Read More $2.2 Million Verdict in Male Truck Driver’s Sexual & Race Harassment Lawsuit
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The Southern District of New York recently reiterated, in Wermann v. Excel Dentistry PC, that “a plaintiff may bring a retaliation claim stemming from an employer’s opposition to her unemployment benefits application” and that “filing retaliatory counterclaims may violate” the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) and New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). The…

Read More Plaintiff Sufficiently Alleged Retaliation Based on Defendants’ Opposing Unemployment Benefits and “Frivolous” Counterclaims in Sexual Harassment Case
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