Federal court denies summary judgment and allows plaintiff's federal, state, and city age discrimination claims to continue

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Scott v. WPIX, Inc., 10 Civ. 4622 (SDNY Dec. 21, 2011) (WHP):  The Southern District denied defendant’s motions for summary judgment seeking dismissal of plaintiff Karen Scott’s age discrimination claim under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), and the New York City Human Rights Law…

Read More Federal court denies summary judgment and allows plaintiff’s federal, state, and city age discrimination claims to continue
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In Bennett v. Health Mgt. Sys., Inc., 2011 NY Slip Op. 09206 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. Dec. 20, 2011), the Appellate Division, First Department for the first time provided “an examination of whether, and to what extent, the three-step burden-shifting approach set forth in McDonnell Douglas v Green (411 US 792 [1973]), must be…

Read More Court Clarifies Summary Judgment Analysis For Discrimination Claims Under the New York City Human Rights Law
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In Malinowski v. Wall Street Source, Inc., 09 Civ. 9592 (PAE) (SDNY Dec. 2, 2011), NYLJ 1202534751470, the Southern District of New York held that evidence of plaintiff’s post-termination wages was inadmissible in light of the severance clause in plaintiff’s contract (which provided that plaintiff could only be fired for cause). Plaintiff sought unpaid wages,…

Read More Severance Clause Nullifies Mitigation Duty
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In Zutrau v. Ice Systems, Inc., the Supreme Court, Suffolk County dismissed plaintiff’s “quid pro quo” sexual harassment claim. Plaintiff – the entity defendant’s executive vice president – asserted numerous claims, both individually and derivatively, against the entity defendant and Jansing, its president and majority shareholder. The court explained the law as follows: To make out…

Read More Court Rejects “Quid Pro Quo” Sexual Harassment Claim Where Plaintiff was Fired After Rebuffing Ex-Lover’s Attempt to Rekindle Relationship
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On November 14, 2011, two railroad enthusiasts/photographers – Ernest Steve Barry and Michael Burkhart – filed a lawsuit (Barry v. City of New York, 11-cv-5533 (EDNY filed 11/14/11)) in Brooklyn federal court alleging that in August 2010 they were detained and issued summonses for violating MTA Rules regarding the production of identification upon demand (21 NYCRR 1050.6(d)(3))…

Read More Subway photographers file federal suit following summonses for taking subway pictures and failing to produce identification
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On November 8, 2011, the United States sued law firm Larkin, Axelrod, Ingrassia & Tetenbaum LLP and partner John Ingrassia under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Plaintiff alleged that on at least three occasions, the law firm prevented its ADA-disabled client, Lauren Klejmont, from entering the law firm’s premises with her service animal,…

Read More U.S. sues law firm for prohibiting disabled client from entering premises with service dog
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In Rowe v. Olthof Funeral Home et al., a Western District judge held on summary judgment that the plaintiff, a funeral director, was an exempt “learned professional” not entitled to overtime compensation under the FLSA.  Defendants satisfied, by clear and convincing evidence, the “salary test” and the “duties test” for application of the exemption. “Salary…

Read More Funeral director is an FLSA-exempt “learned professional” not entitled to overtime
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In Whitehurst v. 230 Fifth, Inc. et al, 11-cv-0767, Southern District Judge McMahon allowed plaintiffs (all African American) to continue some, but not all, of their race-based claims against popular restaurant/lounge 230 Fifth (located at 230 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan).  Plaintiffs alleged that, after arriving to celebrate a friend’s birthday, they were subjected to discriminatory…

Read More African American Partygoers Can Continue Race Discrimination Suit Against 230 Fifth
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The SDNY recently held, in In re September 11 Litigation, 04-cv-7272 (Sept. 23, 2011), that the absence of duty doomed Con Edison’s negligence suit against various defendants arising from the destruction of its power station following the collapse of 7 World Trade Center on September 11, 2011.  Specifically, Con Edison sued the builder and developer…

Read More SDNY Applies Palsgraf to Deny Recovery to Con Edison in 9/11-Related Litigation
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