Failure to Accommodate Religious Beliefs

In Ashandra v. 1199 Seiu Nat. Ben. Fund, No. 1599612022, 2023 WL 6975971 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Oct. 18, 2023), the court granted the defendant’s CPLR 3211(a)(7) motion to dismiss plaintiff’s failure-to-accommodate-religious-practices claim asserted under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. In sum, plaintiff alleged that defendant violated the law…

Read More Court Dismisses Covid Vaccine Failure-to-Accommodate-Religion Claim Asserted Under the New York State and City Human Rights Laws
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In Khaleel v. Heightened Security SVC Inc., 15-cv-1387, 2018 WL 1353266 (SDNY March 15, 2018), the court granted summary for defendant on plaintiff’s various claims, including for hostile work environment/sexual harassment, religious discrimination (failure to accommodate), and retaliation. In this blog post, I’ll discuss the court’s evaluation of plaintiff’s religious discrimination/failure to accommodate claim. The law,…

Read More Court Explains Dismissal of Religious Discrimination / Failure to Accommodate Claim
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In Brooks v. City of Utica, No. 16-cv-1427, 2017 WL 3242273 (N.D.N.Y. July 28, 2017), the court ruled on claims asserted by plaintiff – a firefighter-paramedic and practicing Nazirite – of discrimination based on religion, retaliation, failure to accommodate religious beliefs, and hostile work environment. Plaintiff’s religious observance as a Nazirite required him to keep…

Read More Practicing Nazirite Sufficiently Alleges Religion-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Brooks v. City of Utica, No. 16-cv-1427, 2017 WL 3242273 (N.D.N.Y. July 28, 2017), the court ruled on claims asserted by plaintiff – a firefighter-paramedic and practicing Nazirite – of discrimination based on religion, retaliation, failure to accommodate religious beliefs, and hostile work environment. Plaintiff’s religious observance as a Nazirite required him to keep…

Read More Practicing Nazirite’s Retaliation Claim, Arising From Mistreatment After Requesting Long hair Reasonable Accommodation, Survives Dismissal
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In Chavis v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 15 CIV. 4288 (DC), 2017 WL 3037536 (S.D.N.Y. July 18, 2017), the court, inter alia, granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim that she was subjected to a hostile work environment based on her religion. Specifically, plaintiff – an Asset Protection Manager at the Suffern Walmart…

Read More Walmart Awarded Summary Judgment on Religion-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In White v. Andy Frain Servs., Inc., No. 14-3332-CV, 2015 WL 6684485 (2d Cir. Nov. 3, 2015), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s (a black Jewish man) employment discrimination claims. Plaintiff “assert[ed] that Andy Frain discriminated against him by failing to give him a raise, providing unequal terms and conditions of employment, retaliating…

Read More Court Explains Dismissal of Religious Discrimination (Including Failure to Accommodate) Claims
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits “disparate treatment”, or intentional discrimination, based on religion by making it unlawful for an employer to, among other things, “fail … to hire … any individual … because of such individual’s … religion”. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–2(a)(1) (emphasis added). In Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie &…

Read More U.S. Supreme Court Revives Muslim’s Bias Claim Against Abercrombie
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Below is the complaint filed on June 11, 2014 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against United Health Programs of America, Inc. and Cost Containment Group, Inc. The suit alleges, among other things, that defendants forced employees to engage in practices pursuant to a belief system called “Harnessing Happiness” (commonly known as “Onionhead”), including praying, reading…

Read More “Onionhead” Religious Discrimination Lawsuit
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This week in Litzman v. City of New York, Southern District of New York Judge Harold Baer largely sided with plaintiff, Probationary New York City Police Officer Fishel Litzman, in his lawsuit alleging religious discrimination. Plaintiff follows the rules and traditions of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish community, and his Orthodox Jewish faith prohibits him from…

Read More SDNY Holds That NYPD Failed to Reasonably Accommodate Jewish Officer’s Religious Beliefs
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