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In Makinen v. City of New York, No. 111CV07535ALCAJP, 2016 WL 880194 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 1, 2016), the Southern District of New York upheld a jury verdict, largely in plaintiffs NYPD officers’ favor, that defendants them to discrimination based on their perceived disability (here, alcoholism). In sum, plaintiffs, who denied having issues with alcohol, were separately referred…

Read More Court Upholds Jury Verdict of Discrimination Based on Perceived Disability (Alcoholism)
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In a recently-filed Manhattan federal lawsuit, captioned Kantrowitz v. Procter & Gamble, SDNY 16cv02813, plaintiff alleges, among other things: [Plaintiff], a [Procter & Gamble] employee of two years in good standing who sold products geared to women at P&G’s Dolce and Gabbana [] makeup shop at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, was fired after she announced…

Read More Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Against Procter & Gamble
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In Krebaum v Capital One, N.A., 2016 NY Slip Op 02914 (App. Div. 1st Dept. April 14, 2016), the court modified a lower court’s order, and held that plaintiff’s claims of age discrimination and retaliation under the New York State and City Human Rights Law should have been denied. Upon review of the evidence in the…

Read More Negative Comments About Age Sufficient to Overcome Summary Judgment on Plaintiff’s Age Discrimination Claim
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In a lawsuit filed this week, captioned Villalta v. JS Barkats PLLC and Sunny Barkats, 16-cv-2772 (SDNY filed April 13, 2016), plaintiff asserts claims of gender discrimination and quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment against a Manhattan law firm and its owner. Plaintiff alleges, among other things: Defendant [Sunny] Barkats exploited Plaintiff, who…

Read More Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Manhattan Law Firm JS Barkats PLLC
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In Picarella v. HSBC Securities, 14-cv-4463 (Order filed April 5, 2016), Southern District of New York Judge Andrew Carter denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiffs’ retaliation claims. Plaintiffs Michael Picarella and James Rist asserted that HSBC retaliated against them after they reported the sexual harassment of a coworker. I previously wrote about this case…

Read More Retaliation Claims Against HSBC for Reporting Coworker Sexual Harassment Survive Summary Judgment
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In a lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court on April 12, 2016, Malik v. City of New York et al, Index No. 153118/2016, plaintiffs allege that Richard Emery, the Chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), referred to CCRB Executive Director Mina Malik and another female CCRB employee as “pussies” (which the complaint characterizes…

Read More Misogny and Retaliation Alleged at Civilian Complaint Review Board
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The Southern District of New York’s recent decision in Hiralall v. Sentosacare, LLC, No. 13 CIV. 4437 (GBD), 2016 WL 1126530 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 18, 2016) demonstrates that nepotism – defined here as “favouritism shown to relatives or close friends by those with power or influence” – does not, at least in this case, rise to the…

Read More Nepotism Insufficient to Establish Race/National Origin Discrimination
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In McMahon v. New York Organ Donor Network, Inc., No. 156669/12, 2016 WL 1251204 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Mar. 28, 2016), the plaintiff was terminated from his position as a probationary Transplant Coordinator of the New York Organ Donor Network. Plaintiff claimed that he was fired after making complaints that defendant’s employees were procuring organs from individuals…

Read More Court Orders Discovery of Other Employees’ Personnel Records in Whistleblower Retaliation Case
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In an Gottwald v. Sebert (NY Sup. Ct. 653118/2014 April 6, 2016), the court dismissed singer Kesha’s claims against, inter alia, Lukasz Gottwald (professionally known as Dr. Luke). This is a breach of contract action brought by Gottwald, and includes counterclaims asserted by Kesha alleging, among other things, violations of New York City and State statutes…

Read More Court Dismisses Kesha’s Claims Alleging, e.g., Gender Discrimination Under the NYS and NYC Human Rights Laws and Gender-Motivated Violence
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On March 28, 2016, Mayor de Blasio signed into law several bills (including Intros 805-A, 814-A, 818-A, and 819) amending the New York City Human Rights Law. These new laws, among other things, enhance the rights of New Yorkers to be free from discrimination in the areas of public accommodations and employment. During a public…

Read More Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation Amending the New York City Human Rights Law
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