DEFENDANT EMPLOYER’S FAILURE TO ENGAGE IN COOPERATIVE DIALOGUE REGARDING ACCOMMODATION FOR THE DISABLED PLAINTIFF WARRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON PLAINTIFF’S NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLAIM (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the disabled plaintiff was intitled to summary judgment on his NYC Human Rights Law claim because defendant-employer failed to engage in a cooperative dialogue regarding accommodation for his disability:

… [P]laintiff is entitled to summary judgment on his City HRL claim based on defendant’s failure to engage, within a reasonable time, in a cooperative dialogue regarding his accommodation, as the record presents no issues of fact as to defendant’s failure to engage plaintiff in a cooperative dialogue once defendant became aware of his condition (see Administrative Code of City of NY §§ 8-102; 8-107[28][a] …). Contrary to defendant’s contention, an employer’s failure “to engage in a good faith interactive process is . . . independently actionable under the [City] HRL” … . Kocher v Mount Sinai Hosp., 2026 NY Slip Op 06007, First Dept 10-15-26

Practice Point: An employer’s failure to engage in cooperative dialogue with a disabled worker about accommodation for the disability violates the NYC Human Rights Law.