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In Graziadio v. Culinary Institute of America et al, 15-888-cv (2nd Cir. March 17, 2016), the Second Circuit vacated a district court’s Order granting defendants summary judgment and dismissing plaintiff’s claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Here are the facts, as summarized by the court: Plaintiff Cathleen Graziadio, an employee at the…

Read More FMLA Retaliation and Interference Claims Survive Summary Judgment; Case Continues Against HR Director as FMLA “Employer”; ADA “Associational Discrimination” Claim Properly Dismissed
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In Lott v. Coreone Techs., LLC, No. 14-CV-5848 (CM), 2016 WL 462486 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2016), plaintiff asserted age discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation claims against his former employer. The court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to some of plaintiff’s claims (e.g., discriminatory failure to promote and discriminatory termination), but denied it as…

Read More Retaliatory Firing Claim Survives Dismissal in Light of Evidence that Reduction-in-Force Was Pretextual
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In Locorriere v. NBTY, Inc., No. 13CV7277, 2016 WL 625618 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 17, 2016), the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims of race/ethnicity and national origin discrimination, disability discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and constructive discharge. Plaintiff, a female of Mexican national origin, worked for defendant as an inspector. She alleged,…

Read More Citing Lack of Remarks or Different Treatment, Court Dismisses Mexican Woman’s Discrimination Claims
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By now you’ve probably heard/read about Dr. Anjali Ramkissoon, who was caught on a now-viral YouTube video attacking an Uber driver. Reports indicate that her employer, Jackson Health System, has placed her on administrative leave. The video suggests that Dr. Ramkissoon was not working or “on the clock” during the incident. This raises the question of whether, and to what…

Read More Off-Duty Conduct and Termination
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In Lago v. Wen Management Corp., 2016 WL 165834 (N.Y. Sup. Qns. Jan. 8, 2016), the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed plaintiff’s age discrimination, gender discrimination, and retaliation claims. The court held that plaintiff’s discrimination claims faltered at the first step of the analysis (i.e., he failed to demonstrate a prima…

Read More Replacement of Oldest Employee by Younger Employee Insufficient to Establish Age Discrimination
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In Palmer v New York City Dept. of Health & Hygiene, 2016 NY Slip Op 30037(U) (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. Jan. 5, 2016), the court granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint alleging disability discrimination. The law: A prima facie case of discrimination requires a showing by plaintiff that: [1] she is a…

Read More Absenteeism, Not Disability, Was Reason for Termination, Court Holds
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In Turner v. Manhattan Bowery Mgmt. Corp., 49 Misc. 3d 1220(A) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2015), the court held that plaintiff (an African American maintenance worker) presented sufficient evidence to overcome summary judgment on his race discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation claims. As to his hostile work environment claim, the court held: [P]laintiff presented sufficient…

Read More Plaintiff Overcomes Summary Judgment on Race Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation Claims
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In Lee v. Winthrop University Hosp., 2015 WL 7161955 (E.D.N.Y.,2015), the Eastern District of New York explained its decision to grant defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismiss his employment discrimination complaint. As to his race discrimination claims: The Plaintiff attempts to create a genuine issue of material fact by asserting that the disciplinary warnings…

Read More Court Explains Reasons for Dismissing Race & National Origin Discrimination Claims Against Hospital
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In Hofmann v. Schiavone Contracting Corp., No. 14-2861-CV, 2015 WL 7067853 (2d Cir. Nov. 13, 2015), a Summary Order, the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s order granting summary judgment to defendants. In sum, plaintiff – a female crane operator and member of defendant International Union of Operating Engineers Local 14-14B – alleged that “John…

Read More “Sexually Inflected Dinner Conversation” and “Rudeness” Insufficient to Defeat Summary Judgment on Gender Discrimination Claim
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In Sands v. New Paltz Central School District, a race discrimination case, the Second Circuit vacated the district court’s order granting defendants’ motion for summary judgment. Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000), the court explained: [A] plaintiff’s prima facie case … when combined with sufficient evidence…

Read More Second Circuit Revives Race Discrimination Case, Citing SCOTUS “Reeves” Decision
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