In Santiago v. Crown Heights Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, 2017 WL 4410807, at *4 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2017), the court held that a default judgment may be entered against an individual defendant on plaintiff’s claims of discrimination. As to plaintiff’s claims under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws, the court explained:…
Read More Employment Discrimination Claims Stated Against Individual DefendantIn George Ful Ninying v. Fire Department, City of New York, 17-cv-688, 2017 WL 4570784 (E.D.N.Y. Oct. 11, 2017), the court dismissed – as insufficiently pled – plaintiff’s employment discrimination claims for failure to state a claim. Initially, the court explained that plaintiff sued the wrong entity (the FDNY). Specifically, the FDNY may not be…
Read More Employment Discrimination Claims Dismissed Against FDNYIn Reid et al v. County of Erie, 2017 WL 4676833 (WDNY Oct. 16, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s race discrimination case, finding that the “written warning” plaintiff received was not an “adverse employment action.” The court explained, inter alia, that (generally), “[n]egative performance evaluations, formal reprimands, and counseling memoranda are not adverse employment actions…
Read More Written Warning Was Not an “Adverse Employment Action”; Race Discrimination Claim DismissedIn Makinen v. City of New York, 2017 NY Slip Op 07208, 2017 WL 4621717 (N.Y. Ct. App. Oct. 17, 2017) (J. Fahey), the Court of Appeals of New York – the state’s highest court – addressed the following certified question: Do sections 8–102(16)(c) and 8–107(1)(a) of the New York City Administrative Code preclude a plaintiff…
Read More NY Highest Court: Discrimination Based on Perception of Untreated Alcoholism Not Actionable Under the NYC Human Rights LawIn Schindler v. Plaza Constr. LLC, 2017 NY Slip Op 07182 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Oct. 12, 2017), the court affirmed the denial of defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s – a female licensed crane operator – gender discrimination claim under the New York City Human Rights Law. From the decision/order: Even if Plaza is not plaintiff’s employer…
Read More Female Crane Operator Sufficiently Alleges Gender Discrimination (Wrongful Termination)On September 26, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard oral argument in the case of Zarda v. Altitude Express, Case No. 15-3775. At issue is whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition of discrimination “because of … sex” extends to sexual orientation. One of the interesting aspects…
Read More Second Circuit Hears Oral Argument in Title VII Sexual Orientation Discrimination CaseIn Shirazi v. New York Univ., 2017 NY Slip Op 32013(U) (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. Index No. 161303/2014 Sept. 25, 2017) – in which plaintiff asserts claims of discrimination based on religion, race, national origin, disability, and retaliation – the court discussed and applied the “continuing violation” doctrine under the New York State and City…
Read More Court Explains and Applies the “Continuing Violation” Doctrine Applicable to Hostile Work Environment Claims Under the New York State and City Human Rights LawsIn Williams v. New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, 16-3207-cv, 2017 WL 4461020 (2d Cir. Oct. 6, 2017) (Summary Order), the court affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s race-based failure-to-hire discrimination claim. Here are the facts, as (briefly) summarized by the court: Williams alleges that the Hospital stopped considering his employment application after a prospective…
Read More Failure-to-Hire Case Properly Dismissed, Notwithstanding “Bad” and “Unfair” TreatmentIn Matter of Ferrara v. New York State Div. of Human Rights, 2017 NY Slip Op 06968 (App. Div. 2d Dept. Oct. 4, 2017), the court affirmed the denial of petitioner’s Article 78 petition to review a determination by the New York State Division of Human Rights that petitioner’s discrimination claims were barred by the NYS…
Read More Employment Discrimination Claims Properly Dismissed as UntimelyFrom McMahon v. Tomkins County, 16-CV-922, 2017 WL 4443884 (N.D.N.Y. Oct. 4, 2017) (J. Hurd): In determining whether a plaintiff suffered a hostile work environment, [a court] must consider the totality of the circumstances, including ‘the frequency of the discriminatory conduct; its severity; whether it is physically threatening or humiliating, or a mere offensive utterance; and whether…
Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Unpleasantness Was Unrelated to Protected Characteristics