PLAINTIFF ALLEGED SHE WAS FIRED AFTER REJECTING THE SEXUAL ADVANCES OF HER MANAGER IN THIS HUMAN RIGHTS LAW EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION ACTION; PLAINTIFF WAS ENTITLED TO DISCLOSURE OF THE RECORDS OF OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO ENGAGED IN THE CONDUCT FOR WHICH PLAINTIFF WAS OSTENSIBLY FIRED (TARDINESS) (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff in this New York State and New York City Human Rights Law action (alleging plaintiff was terminated after rejecting the sexual advances of her manager) was entitled to the records of other employees who engaged in the conduct for which plaintiff was ostensibly fired (tardiness):
“A plaintiff can establish a prima facie case of discrimination in employment by showing that ‘(1) [he or] she is a member of a protected class; (2) [he or] she was qualified to hold the position; (3) [he or] she was terminated from employment . . .; and (4) the discharge . . . occurred under circumstances giving rise to an inference of discrimination'” … . “‘A showing of disparate treatment—that is, a showing that the employer treated plaintiff less favorably than a similarly situated employee outside [of] his protected group—is a recognized method of raising an inference of discrimination for purposes of making out a prima facie case'” … . “Whether two employees are similarly situated ordinarily presents a question of fact for the jury” … . When plaintiffs seek to draw inferences of discrimination by showing that they were similarly situated in all material respects to the individuals to whom they compare themselves, their circumstances need not be identical, but there should be a reasonably close resemblance of facts and circumstances” … . The key is that they be “similar in significant respects” … . …
Since the plaintiff alleges disparate treatment and seeks to raise an inference of discrimination, she is entitled to discovery of documents regarding other employees who engaged in conduct similar to that for which she was terminated, as such documents may indicate that some or all of those employees were not terminated and may have been disciplined less severely or not at all … . Diaz v Minhas Constr. Corp., LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op 06496, Second Dept 11-12-20