Discovery in Employment Cases

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In Morales v. PepsiCo. Inc., 16-cv-6597, 2018 WL 3853390 (W.D.N.Y. August 14, 2018), the plaintiff filed a lawsuit against his former employer alleging race discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law. Not uncommonly, a discovery dispute arose. Among other issues contested…

Read More Court Addresses Discovery Relating to Emotional Distress Damages in Title VII Discrimination Case
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In Hughes v. Twenty–First Century Fox, Inc., 17-cv-7093, 2018 WL 1936096 (S.D.N.Y. April 24, 2018),  a sexual harassment case, the court quashed defendants’ non-party subpoenas. From the decision: This Court need not consider Defendants’ argument that the subpoenaed information will assist them in formulating the defense of absolute truth with respect to Hughes’ defamation claims because…

Read More Court Quashes Non-Party Subpoenas in Sexual Harassment Case [Hughes v. Twenty-First Century Fox]
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In Milan v. Sprint Corporation, 2018 WL 1665690 (E.D.N.Y. April 6, 2018), a sexual harassment case, the court affirmed a Magistrate Judge’s Order granting plaintiff’s motion to compel discovery. Plaintiff sought, inter alia, “complaints of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and/or retaliation against Sprint, including but not limited to complaints through the ‘Sprint’s Ethics Hotline’ and…

Read More Court Compels Discovery of Sexual Harassment Complaints in Lawsuit Against Sprint
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In Black v. Buffalo Meat Serv., Inc., No. 15CV49S, 2017 WL 1196469 (W.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2017) – a race/sex hostile work environment and constructive discharge case – the court ruled on the parties’ respective discovery motions. The facts, as summarized by the court: Plaintiff claims that defendants created a hostile work environment on the basis…

Read More Court Declines to Order Production of Plaintiff’s Tax Returns in Race/Sex Hostile Work Environment Case
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In Simons v. Petrarch LLC and Hicham Aboutaam, 2017 NY Slip Op 30457(U) (NY Sup. Ct. NY Cty. March 1, 2017) (J. Hagler), a sexual harassment case, the court applied spoliation sanctions on plaintiff. This case is instructive as to the obligations of litigants generally, and in sexual harassment cases in particular, to preserve evidence.…

Read More Sexual Harassment Plaintiff Hit With Spoliation Sanctions
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In Morshed v. St. Barnabas Hosp., No. 16 CIV. 2862 (LGS), 2017 WL 543236 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 10, 2017), the court overruled defendants’ claims that ten documents were “privileged under the self-critical analysis privilege, peer review privilege and quality assurance privileges.”[1]Specifically, defendants asserted the following as grounds for their assertion of privilege: Rule 501 of the…

Read More Court Overrules Defendants’ Claims of Privilege in Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Case
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In Ghonda v. Time Warner Cable, Inc., 16-cv-2610, 2017 WL 395111 (EDNY Jan. 27, 2017) – in which plaintiff asserts claims of employment (gender) discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation – the court denied plaintiff’s request to quash a subpoena seeking information relating to plaintiff’s prior employer. From the Order: Plaintiff’s contention that the mere service…

Read More Court Permits “Former Employer” Discovery in Sexual Harassment Case
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We’ve seen one judge warn a lawyer not to call their adversary an “asshole” in private correspondence. Now we have a decision imposing a $4,700 fine/sanction on a lawyer for (e.g.) calling their adversary a “racist” during a deposition. In Scott-Iverson v. Indep. Health Ass’n, Inc., No. 13-CV-451V(F), 2016 WL 7320067 (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 15, 2016), the…

Read More Court Imposes $4,700 Fine on Lawyer For (e.g.) Calling Adversary a “Racist” During Employment Discrimination Deposition
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In Moll v. Telesector Res. Grp., Inc., No. 04-CV-0805S(SR), 2016 WL 6095792 (W.D.N.Y. Oct. 19, 2016), a sex discrimination/hostile work environment/retaliation case, the court ruled on the parties’ respective motions to compel discovery. (For more background on this case, you may wish to review the Second Circuit’s 2014 decision vacating the district court’s 2012 summary judgment…

Read More Court Rules on Social Media Discovery Request in Sexual Harassment Case
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In an employment discrimination case, it is not uncommon for a defendant/employer to seek information/documents regarding the plaintiff’s prior employment. In Roazzi v. U.S. Builders Group et al (NY Sup. Ct. Index #152129/16), an age discrimination case, defendants sought authorizations for the plaintiff’s employment records going back ten years. Judge Wright granted plaintiff’s motion for…

Read More Court Grants Protective Order Regarding Prior Employment in Age Discrimination Case
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