March 2016

by

In Defran v. Transp Workers Union of Greater New York AFL-CIO, 2016 WL 740308 (N.Y.Sup.), 2016 N.Y. Slip Op. 30329(U), the court discussed and applied the “joint employer” doctrine in the context of an employment discrimination/sexual harassment/retaliation case. Plaintiff, a bus driver/union member who later became chairperson of her union (TWU/Local 100), alleged that she was…

Read More Plaintiff Sufficiently Alleges “Joint Employer” Status in Hostile Work Environment/Sexual Harassment Case
Share This:
by

In Matter of Belgrave v. City of New York, 2016 NY Slip Op 01548 (App. Div. 1st Dept. March 3, 2016), the First Department addressed an issue of first impression, namely whether a law enforcement agency (here the NYPD), may refuse to hire an applicant seeking employment with that agency as a civilian, without regard to…

Read More Felony Conviction Properly Barred 911 Dispatcher From NYPD Employment, Court Holds
Share This:
by

In Lai v. Deiorio Foods Inc., 2016 WL 814930 (NDNY Feb. 29, 2016), the court held that the (pro se) plaintiff plausibly alleged claims of employment discrimination and retaliation. Plaintiff, a Vietnam-born naturalized U.S. citizen, alleged that her Bosnian supervisor “discriminated [against], harassed, intimidated, and threatened her on a regular basis” and that she was constructively…

Read More Vietnamese Plaintiff Plausibly Alleges Employment Discrimination by Citing Examples of Bosnian Favoritism
Share This:
by

In Kennedy v. NYS, 14-CV-990S, NYLJ 1202751641711 (WDNY Mar. 3, 2016), the Western District of New York held that plaintiff – a member of NYS Assembly Member Dennis Gabryszak’s staff – plausibly alleged hostile work environment sexual harassment against Mr. Gabryszak under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and therefore denied defendants’ motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ.…

Read More Assembly Staff Member Sufficiently Alleges § 1983 Sexual Harassment Claim Against Dennis Gabryszak
Share This:
by

In Lott v. Coreone Techs., LLC, No. 14-CV-5848 (CM), 2016 WL 462486 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2016), plaintiff asserted age discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation claims against his former employer. The court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to some of plaintiff’s claims (e.g., discriminatory failure to promote and discriminatory termination), but denied it as…

Read More Retaliatory Firing Claim Survives Dismissal in Light of Evidence that Reduction-in-Force Was Pretextual
Share This:
by

Lawyers in general, and plaintiffs’ lawyers in particular, serve a vital societal function. Their work has resulted in, to name just a few examples, the proliferation of civil rights, safer products, and safer business practices in general. As a plaintiffs’ lawyer, I am proud to be a part of, and contribute to, that process. Yet, plaintiffs’…

Read More Are All Lawyers Liars?
Share This:
by

In Kearney v Papish, 2016 NY Slip Op 00697 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Feb. 3, 2016), a medical malpractice action, the court affirmed the denial of a motion to set aside a defense verdict. This decision is instructive as to when an expert has deemed material “authoritative” such that they may be confronted with it on…

Read More Medical Text Properly Used During Cross-Examination; Court Rejects Purported “Semantic Trick” as to the “Authoritative” Status of Work
Share This:
by

The First Department’s recent decision in Rios v 1146 Ogden LLC, 2016 NY Slip Op 01420 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 25, 2016) illustrates one way in which a plaintiff injured on someone’s property can overcome summary judgment. There, the plaintiff alleged that she was injured “when she was caused to fall in the bathroom of her…

Read More Complaints to Live-In Super Sufficient Evidence of Notice to Overcome Summary Judgment in Apartment Tile Injury Case
Share This:
by

The New York State Division of Human Rights has released its “Guidance on Sexual Harassment For All Employers in New York State.” It provides, among other things: The provisions of the [New York State] Human Rights Law generally apply to employers with four or more employees. However, with regard specifically to sexual harassment, the Human…

Read More NYS Division of Human Rights Issues Guidance on Sexual Harassment to New York State Employers
Share This: