The New York State legislature is in the process of reviewing/amending the New York State Human Rights Law regarding sexual harassment. The bill(s) under consideration are S3817A / A7083A. Currently, victims of sexual harassment in New York City enjoy protection under three statutes: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (federal law), the…
Read More Proposed Changes to New York State’s Sexual Harassment LawIn McIntyre v. Corning Incorporated, 15-cv-6277, 2019 WL 2140625 (W.D.N.Y., 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s Title VII hostile work environment claim, finding that plaintiff did not show that he was subjected to a hostile work environment within 300 days of his EEOC complaint. In this case, plaintiff alleged (inter alia) that he was…
Read More Untimely, Non-Gender Based Conduct Did Not Amount to a Hostile Work Environment Claim, Court HoldsIn Rehal v Weinstein, No. 151738/2018, 2019 WL 2088435 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County May 13, 2019), the court denied Robert Weinstein’s motion to dismiss the complaint against him in connection with the alleged hostile work environment primarily caused by Harvey Weinstein. Among other things, the court held that the Southern District of New…
Read More Court Denies Robert Weinstein’s Motion to Dismiss Discrimination ComplaintIn Martin v. New York State et al, 17-cv-9721, 2019 WL 2053992 (S.D.N.Y. May 9, 2019), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s sexual harassment claim based on the conduct of a non “supervisor.” The court’s decision turned on that branch of the law providing that “[w]hen the harassment is perpetrated by a non-supervisory coworker, an…
Read More Court Dismisses Sexual Harassment Claim Based on Conduct By Non-SupervisorIn Boyce v. Weber, No. 160630/2017, 2019 WL 1470219, 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 30864(U), 6 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Apr. 03, 2019), the court allowed plaintiff – a male model – the opportunity to amend his complaint against photographer Bruce Weber to add a claim (to his existing claims alleging sexual harassment and…
Read More Court Permits Trafficking Victims Protection Act Claim to be Added to Complaint Against Photographer Bruce WeberIn Automatic Meter Reading Corp. v. New York City, No. 162211/2015, 63 Misc. 3d 1211(A), 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 50464(U), 2019 WL 1475080 (Sup Ct, Feb. 28, 2019), the court, inter alia, affirmed and enforced the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ finding of sexual harassment-based constructive discharge. It also upheld the NYCCHR’s award of $200,000…
Read More Court Upholds NYC Commission on Human Rights’ $200k Emotional Distress Damage Award in Sexual Harassment / Constructive Discharge CaseIn Automatic Meter Reading Corp. v. New York City, No. 162211/2015, 63 Misc. 3d 1211(A), 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 50464(U), 2019 WL 1475080 (Sup Ct, Feb. 28, 2019), the court, inter alia, affirmed and enforced the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ finding of sexual harassment-based constructive discharge. From the decision: The NYCCHR found…
Read More Court Upholds NYCCHR Finding of Constructive DischargeIn Barbini v. First Niagara Bank, N.A., 16-cv-7887, 2019 WL 1922041 (S.D.N.Y. April 29, 2019), the court held, inter alia, that defendant waived the attorney-client privilege in connection with asserting the Faragher/Ellerth defense to plaintiffs’ sexual harassment claims. Under that defendant may escape liability if it can show two things, namely, (1) the employer exercised reasonable care…
Read More Invocation of Faragher/Ellerth Defense in Sexual Harassment Case Waives Attorney-Client Privilege, Court FindsIn Anaya v Wework Companies, Inc. et al, No. 159414/2018, 2019 WL 1744253 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Apr. 18, 2019), the court, inter alia, held that plaintiff sufficiently alleged sexual harassment under the New York City Human Rights Law, but not the New York State Human Rights Law. This decision aply illustrates the…
Read More Sexual Harassment Claims Survive, In Part, Against WeWorkIn Collymore v. City of New York et al, 18-2099 (2d Cir. April 11, 2019) (Summary Order), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, inter alia, affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s sexual harassment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The court wrote: Collymore alleges that Lisa Maluf, her…
Read More Sexual Harassment Claim Dismissal Affirmed; Touching Not Shown to be “Because of” Plaintiff’s Sex