Hostile Work Environment

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In Lopez v. Advantage Plumbing & Mech. Corp., No. 15-CV-4507 (AJN), 2016 WL 1268274 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2016), the court held, among other things, that plaintiffs could amend their complaint to add a national origin discrimination (hostile work environment) claim under the NYC Human Rights Law (but not federal or state law) based on defendants’ “English-only”…

Read More “English Only” National Origin Discrimination Hostile Work Environment Claim Plausibly Alleged Under NYC Human Rights Law
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In Alex v. Gen. Elec. Co., No. 12-cv-1021, 2016 WL 1057042 (N.D.N.Y. Mar. 14, 2016), the court dismissed plaintiff’s race-based hostile work environment claim. From the decision: Plaintiff’s deposition testimony that one or more unidentified co-workers told Plaintiff that Defendant Lanoue had referred to Plaintiff as “N—–” (behind her back) is inadmissible. Specifically, the alleged statements…

Read More Court Dismisses Race Discrimination/Hostile Work Environment Claim; “N-Word” Evidence Was Inadmissible Hearsay
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In Pawson v. Ross, 2016 NY Slip Op 02502 (App. Div. 3d  Dept. March 31, 2016), an upstate appellate court held that defendants should have been granted summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint alleging hostile work environment sexual harassment under the New York State Human Rights Law. After stating the relevant law, the court proceeded to apply…

Read More “Reprehensible” Conduct (Including “Butt Swats” and “Spanking” Comments) Held Insufficient to Establish Sexual Harassment Hostile Work Environment Under NYS Human Rights Law
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In a lawsuit captioned Tomahawk v. 207-215 W 98th St. Condominium et al (NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. 152509/2016, filed March 23, 2016), the plaintiff – a disabled Native American and Hispanic porter at a Manhattan building – alleges that he was subjected to discrimination based on his disability and Native American heritage. From the…

Read More Disparaging Remarks About Native Americans Alleged in Manhattan Employment Discrimination Lawsuit
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In Day v. City of New York, No. 15CV04399, 2016 WL 1171584 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 22, 2016), the court adopted the Magistrate Judge’s Report & Recommendation as to plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII, the NYS Human Rights Law, and the NYC Human Rights Law. In brief, the plaintiff (a male grand jury stenographer…

Read More NYC Human Rights Law Discrimination Claim, Based on Alleged Different Treatment of Reciprocal Male/Female Employee Harassment Allegations, Continues
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A plaintiff asserting discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must establish, among other things, that they suffered an “adverse employment action.” That term, like many in the law, has a specialized meaning. In Boza-Meade v. Rochester Hous. Auth., No. 6:14-CV-6356 EAW, 2016 WL 1157643 (W.D.N.Y. Mar. 21, 2016), the court…

Read More Criticism of Work Etc. Was Not “Adverse Employment Action”; Race and National Origin Discrimination Case Dismissed
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In Cappelli v. Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc, No. 1:13-CV-3481-GHW, 2016 WL 958642 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 8, 2016), the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s employment discrimination and retaliation claims. Plaintiff, a male building superintendent, complained about the following conduct at work: I have been the victim of sexual harassment that has been performed…

Read More Merely Witnessing Sexual Conduct Held Insufficient to Establish a Sex-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Christiansen v. Omnicom Group Inc., 15-cv-3440 (SDNY March 9, 2016), the court dismissed discrimination claims brought by plaintiff, an HIV-positive openly-gay man. The court dismissed plaintiff’s disability discrimination and retaliation claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the NYS Human Rights Law. As to plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim, the court explained: Statements…

Read More Court Declines to Extend Title VII to Cover Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation
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In a recently-filed class action complaint, captioned Suchowieski et al v. Verboten (EDNY 16-cv-01295 filed 3/15/16), plaintiffs allege that Brooklyn nightclub and their owners – Jen Schiffer and her husband, John Perez – committed various acts of wrongdoing against their employees. The complaint alleges, for example, that “[d]efendants’ female employees are subjected to persistent sexual…

Read More Sexual Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, and Wage Lawsuit Against Brooklyn Club Verboten
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In Llanos v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., 132 A.D.3d 823, 824, 18 N.Y.S.3d 666, 667 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dept. 2015), the Second Dept. reversed a state court decision dismissing plaintiff’s claims under section 8-107 of the NYC Administrative Code (aka the NYC Human Rights Law/NYCHRL). Plaintiff alleged in her complaint that she was subjected to employment discrimination, quid…

Read More Discrimination Claims Under Comparatively Broad NYC Human Rights Law Were Not Duplicative of State Law Claims
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