In a recently-filed complaint – captioned Stover v. Amazon.com, LLC et al, 19-cv-00054 (E.D.Ky Feb. 15, 2019) – the plaintiff alleges that the defendants subjected him to discrimination based on his disability (Chron’s disease). Plaintiff claims, specifically, that defendants terminated him because of “time theft” due to “excessive bathroom breaks” – which, he contends, were…
Read More Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against AmazonIn Page v. Half Hollow Hills Central School District, 16-cv-4710, 2019 WL 764748, (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 20, 2019), the court, inter alia, granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s race discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 1981, and the New York State Human Rights Law. The court…
Read More Race Discrimination Case Dismissed; Loss of License Rendered Plaintiff “Unqualified” For PositionIn Page v. Half Hollow Hills Central School District, 16-cv-4710, 2019 WL 764748, (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 20, 2019), the court, inter alia, granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim on the ground that plaintiff did not address that claim in his papers opposing the motion. Here, defendants sought summary judgment on…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim, Unaddressed in Summary Judgment Opposition, Deemed AbandonedFrom Gallagher v. Pepe Auto Group et al, 18-cv-3433, 2019 WL 801955 (SDNy Feb. 21, 2019): Here, the arbitration agreement, which provides, “Any dispute under this Agreement shall be resolved by binding arbitration,” is broad. Therefore, there is a presumption of arbitrability regarding plaintiff’s claims that arise under the Employment Agreement. Those claims include plaintiff’s…
Read More Employment Discrimination Claims (But Not Post-Termination Claims) Subject to ArbitrationFrom Lawtone-Bowles v. City of New York, 2019 WL 652593 (S.D.N.Y. 2019): [Plaintiff] alleges little more than a few stray remarks. “Big Daddy” and “cabbage patch baby” bear no facial connection to any protected characteristic. Rubin v. Abbott Labs., 2015 WL 5679644, at *8 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 23, 2015). A single excited utterance of the pejorative…
Read More “Big Daddy” and Other Remarks Were Insufficient to Plausibly Allege a Hostile Work EnvironmentIn 554 Euo LLC v. Bldg. Maintenance Employees Union, Local 486, No. 654999/2018, 2019 WL 645975 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Feb. 11, 2019), the court upheld an arbitrator’s decision to impose a less serious sanction (loss on one months’ pay), instead of termination, upon an employee found to have engaged in workplace harassment. The…
Read More Court Upholds Arbitrator’s “Progressive Discipline” Determination in Light of Workplace HarassmentIn Matter of Romero v. DHL Holdings (USA) Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 00936 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 7, 2019), the court affirmed the decision of the Workers’ Compensation Board’s determination that the claimant was discharged for cause, and not in violation of the Workers’ Compensation Law. The court summarized the law: Workers’ Compensation Law…
Read More Workers’ Compensation Retaliatory Discharge Claim Dismissal AffirmedIn Nokaj v. North East Dental Management, LLC et al, 16-cv-3035, 2019 WL 634656 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 14, 2019), the court (inter alia) denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim of “aiding and abetting” discrimination (sexual harassment) under the New York State Human Rights Law. The court holds that plaintiff may maintain an “aiding…
Read More Aiding & Abetting Sexual Harassment Claim, Based on Supervisor Inaction, Survives Summary JudgmentIn Baker v. Medical Answering Services, LLC, 18-cv-00870, 2019 WL 634654 (N.D.N.Y. Feb. 14, 2019), the court dismissed plaintiff’s employment discrimination complaint, finding that plaintiff did not sufficiently allege a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the decision: Plaintiff has, however, failed to plausibly allege circumstances giving rise to…
Read More Inference of Discrimination Not Sufficiently Alleged; Employment Discrimination Complaint DismissedFrom Petterson v. State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2019 WL 367840, at *7 (E.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2019): While the alleged statements, such as “Barbara’s bush” and “sucking dick” by themselves are insufficient to show a hostile work environment, when coupled with the other evidence presented, a jury could conclude that Plaintiff was subjected…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Court Cites Derogatory Terms and Threatening Behavior