42 USC § 1983

by

In Magnusson v. County of Suffolk, No. 16-1876-CV, 2017 WL 1958699 (2d Cir. May 11, 2017) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s sexual harassment claims under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. 1983 (Equal Protection). The court held that plaintiff’s Title VII’s claim was appropriately dismissed, because she did not follow the…

Read More Title VII Sexual Harassment Claim Dismissed Due to Failure to Follow Internal Grievance Procedures
Share This:
by

In Small v. State of New York et al, No. 12-CV-1236S, 2017 WL 1176032 (W.D.N.Y. Mar. 30, 2017), the court denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim. In sum, plaintiff, a school teacher who worked at Attica Correctional Facility, alleged that a Corrections Officer (Cuer) subjected her to unwanted romantic…

Read More Prison Teacher’s Hostile Work Environment and Retaliation Claims Continue
Share This:
by

Here is the recently-filed lawsuit, captioned Springs v. City of New York et al (SDNY 17-cv-00451), in which a black firefighter alleges that he endured sexual hazing and race discrimination. Among other things, plaintiff alleges that one defendant told him “I don’t like you … blacks getting on the job this way. You don’t have good…

Read More Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Hazing and Race Discrimination at NY Fire Dept.
Share This:
by

In order to hold an employer liable for a hostile work environment, a plaintiff needs to establish two elements: The existence of a hostile work environment (i.e., sufficiently “hostile” conduct connected a protected characteristic); and A specific basis for imputing the hostile work environment to the employer (vicarious liability). A recent case, Ward v. Shaddock, No.…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Created by Co-Worker Not Imputable to Entity Employer
Share This:
by

In Camarda v. City of New York et al, 15-3262-cv, 2016 WL 7234686 (2d Cir. Dec. 14, 2016) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the summary judgment dismissal (Camarda v. City of NY, EDNY 11-cv-2629, Sept. 16, 2015 (J. Mauskoopf)) of plaintiff’s claims of sex discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983;…

Read More 2nd Circuit Explains Decision to Affirm Dismissal of Police Officer’s Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims
Share This:
by

In Romero v. City of N.Y., No. 16 CIV. 4157 (BMC), 2016 WL 6155935 (E.D.N.Y. Oct. 21, 2016), Eastern District of New York Judge Cogan dismissed the race discrimination claims of plaintiff, a firefighter, for various reasons, including under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) because they did not plausibly allege discrimination. From the decision: As…

Read More “Serpico” Reference is an Insufficient Stand-In For Facts; FDNY Plaintiff’s Race Discrimination Complaint Dismissed For Failure to State a Claim
Share This:
by

In Richardson-Holness v. Alexander, No. 13-CV-2761 (NG), 2016 WL 4027978 (E.D.N.Y. July 26, 2016), the court denied in part defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s quid pro quo sexual harassment claim (with respect to certain alleged actions) and her hostile work environment claim. In sum, plaintiff (a probationary teacher) alleged “that defendant Michael A.…

Read More NYC Public School Teacher’s Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment and Hostile Work Environment Claims Survive Summary Judgment
Share This:
by

A recent Manhattan federal lawsuit, An v. City of New York, SDNY 16-cv-05381, challeng[es] the constitutionality of the New York City Police Department’s [] widespread practice and custom of interfering with and deterring the exercise of the First Amendment right of individuals to film, photograph, videotape, or otherwise record[] NYPD officers performing their official duties in public…

Read More First Amendment Lawsuit Challenges NYPD Retaliation for Recording Officers
Share This:
by

In Edwards v. Khalil, No. 12 CIV. 8442 (JCM), 2016 WL 1312149 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2016), the court held (among other things) that plaintiff (a female police officer) presented enough evidence to survive summary judgment on her claims of gender discrimination under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. From the decision: On the basis…

Read More Title VII Gender Discrimination Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Plaintiff Presented Evidence That Female Plaintiff Was Disciplined More Harshly Than Similarly-Situated Male Workers
Share This:
by

In Heffernan v. City of Paterson, No. 14-1280 (decided April 26, 2016), the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a circuit court decision that affirmed the dismissal of a police officer’s First Amendment retaliation case arising from his punishment for engaging in what was (incorrectly) perceived as protected political activity. Justice Breyer authored the opinion; Justices Thomas…

Read More SCOTUS Holds That First Amendment Retaliation Case May Continue, Despite Employer’s Incorrect Belief that Employee Engaged in Protected Political Activity
Share This: