“Stray Remarks” Doctrine in Employment Discrimination Law

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In Esar v. JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A., 15-cv-382, 2018 WL 2075421 (E.D.N.Y. May 3, 2018), the court (inter alia) dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims. Plaintiff asserted that she was subjected to an “atmosphere of adverse action”, namely (i) lobby cleaning assignments, (ii) covering for one week at another branch, (iii) unpacking branch supplies,…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claims Dismissed Against JP Morgan Chase Bank
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In Blair v. Brooklyn Transportation Corp., 17-cv-383, 2018 WL 1581974 (E.D.N.Y. March 30, 2018), the court (inter alia) denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s gender discrimination claim. From the decision: Plaintiff’s allegations are sufficient for the Court to infer that Defendant discriminated against Plaintiff. Defendant was aware of Plaintiff’s transgender status because, when Plaintiff began…

Read More Transgender Discrimination Case Continues Against Brooklyn Transportation Corp.
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In Testa v. CareFusion, 2018 WL 1611378 (E.D.N.Y. April 3, 2018), the court granted defendant’s summary judgment motion on plaintiff’s federal age discrimination claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). From the decision: The only evidence upon which plaintiff relies are alleged stray remarks made by Stuckert [the person to whom plaintiff directly…

Read More Age Discrimination Claim Dismissed Against CareFusion; Comments Were “Stray Remarks”
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In Picault v. World Business Lenders, 16-cv-3682, 2018 WL 748975 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 7, 2018) (J. Oetken), the Southern District of New York dismissed plaintiff’s (a Haitian-American man) national origin discrimination lawsuit. The court explained that a discrimination plaintiff “must satisfy his initial burden by showing (1) that he belonged to a protected class; (2) that…

Read More Citing “Stray Remarks” Doctrine, Court Dismisses National Origin Discrimination Case Based on “Haitian Voodoo” Comment
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In Basso v. EarthLink, Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 00030 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 2, 2018), the court affirmed summary judgment in defendants’ favor on plaintiff’s claims of gender and age discrimination under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. From the decision: Plaintiff carried her “de minimis burden” of showing a prima…

Read More Age/Gender Discrimination Claims Properly Dismissed; Pretext Not Shown
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In Breitstein v. Michael C. Fina Co., 2017 NY Slip Op 08883 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Dec. 21, 2017), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s religious discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation causes of action under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. This decision teaches/confirms that, in a discrimination case, the question is not…

Read More Religious/Age Discrimination & Retaliation Claims Properly Dismissed Against Michael C. Fina
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In Cherry v. NYC Housing Authority et al, 15-cv-6949, 2017 WL 4357344 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2017) (J. Brodie), the court held (inter alia) that plaintiff sufficiently alleged gender discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law. Plaintiff – a black male – alleged, among…

Read More Male Worker’s Gender Discrimination Among Claims Surviving Dismissal
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In Carrington v. Mota & City of New York, 2017 WL 3835883 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 31, 2017), the court recommended the dismissal of plaintiff’s race discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (but gave her an opportunity to amend her complaint). As to plaintiff’s race discrimination…

Read More Court Dismisses Race Discrimination Claim; Adverse Action, Inference of Discrimination Insufficiently Alleged
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Frequently, plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases will attempt to prove discrimination by reference to comments or remarks that allegedly demonstrate discriminatory intent. For the purpose of evaluating such evidence, courts have developed the “stray remarks” doctrine. The court in Luka v. Bard College, 2017 WL 2839641 (SDNY June 29, 2017) (J. Carter) recently explained: As a…

Read More The “Stray Remarks” Doctrine in Employment Discrimination Law
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In Luka v. Bard College et al, No. 15-cv-4598, 2017 WL 2839641 (S.D.N.Y. June 29, 2017), the court held, inter alia, that plaintiff sufficiently alleged gender discrimination under the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL). This decision is instructive on how courts apply pleading standards to such claims. The court summarized the law: To…

Read More Lesbian Professor, Denied Tenure, Plausibly Alleges Discrimination Under the NYS Human Rights Law Against Bard College
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