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PLAINTIFF SUFFICIENTLY ALLEGED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISMCRIMINATION BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN (YEMENI), HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND RETALIATION (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff stated claims for (1) employment discrimination on the basis of national origin )Yemeni), (2) hostile work environment, and (3) retaliation:

[Plaintiff’s] assertion that he was denied a promotion to sergeant on at least two occasions adequately supports … his claim [for discrimination on the basis of national origin] …  . … [H]is allegations that a coworker made derogatory remarks about Yemenis in the presence of his supervisors, that such remarks were ignored or condoned, and that non-Yemeni campus peace officers, who were less qualified than he, were promoted to the sergeant position, supports the fourth element of his claim, i.e. that the adverse action occurred under circumstances giving rise to an inference of discrimination … . …

Plaintiff has also stated a cause of action for hostile work environment, as his coworker’s multiple derogatory remarks about Yemenis, sometimes made in the presence of plaintiff’s supervisors, along with the allegedly unfounded write-ups, unfavorable assignments, and denial of a promotion, were sufficiently severe and pervasive to support that cause of action … . Plaintiff also alleges that defendants knew about the comments and failed to take appropriate action … .

Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged retaliation by showing that: (1) he engaged in protected activity in December 2016 when he filed a complaint stating that his supervisor was discriminating against him, (2) defendants were aware that he participated in such activity, (3) he was denied a promotion in February and May 2017, and (4) there is a causal connection between the protected activity and the adverse action … . Alshami v City Univ. of N.Y., 2022 NY Slip Op 02053, First Dept 3-24-22

Practice Point: This decision describes the allegations of employment discrimination (Human Rights Law) for (1) discrimination on the basis of national origin (Yemeni), (2) hostile work environment, and (3) retaliation which are sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss.

 

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THE COMPANY WHICH STAFFED THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THE PHYSICIANS WHO TREATED PLAINTIFF IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION WERE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, AS OPPOSED TO EMPLOYEES FOR WHOM THE COMPANY WOULD BE VICARIOUSLY LIABLE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant NES, which staffed the hospital emergency room, should not have been granted summary judgment in this medical malpractice action. NES alleged the emergency room physicians who treated plaintiff (Perez) were independent contractors, not employees, and therefore NES was not vicariously liable for the acts or omissions of the physicians:

… [T]he evidence submitted in support of NES’s motion did not eliminate all triable issues of fact as to whether the emergency room physicians who treated Perez were independent contractors … . Although the physician agreement between NES and one of the physicians who treated Perez designated the physician an independent contractor, among other things, NES’s contract with Lutheran [the hospital] raises triable issues of fact regarding NES’s involvement in the training of the physicians with whom it contracted and the extent of NES’s obligation to participate in quality assurance and peer review activities and implement quality improvement plans … . Additionally, NES failed to submit any evidence regarding how the physicians with whom it contracted were paid … . Perez v NES Med. Servs. of N.Y., P.C., 2022 NY Slip Op 02031, Second Dept 3-23-22

Practice Point: In this medical malpractice action, the plaintiff sued the company which staffed the emergency room under a contract with the hospital. The staffing company moved for summary judgment arguing the treating physicians were independent contractors, not employees, and, therefore, the company was not vicariously liable for the acts or omissions of the physicians. The motion should not have been granted. The decision lays out the criteria for the independent-contractor versus employee analysis.

 

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CIVIL SERVICE LAW 75-B SERVES THE SAME PURPOSE AS THE EMPLOYMENT ANTI-RETALIATION STATUTES IN THE NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK CITY HUMAN RIGHTS LAW; EVEN THOUGH PLAINTIFF HAD RESIGNED AT TIME OF THE SUIT, HIS RETALIATION CAUSE OF ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s retaliation claim pursuant to Civil Service Law 75-b should not have been dismissed. Plaintiff, an employee of the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), alleged he was denied a job because of a poor reference allegedly made in retaliation for his reporting a conflict of interest to the City’s Department of Investigation. At the time plaintiff brought this action he had retired, but his retirement did not preclude his Civil Service Law cause of action:

… [W]e reject the motion’s court determination that Civil Service Law § 75-b does not apply to actions taken by a public employer after an employee has resigned. Civil Service Law § 75-b prohibits a public employer from dismissing or taking any “other disciplinary or other adverse personnel action against a public employee regarding the employee’s employment” because the employee discloses information of either (1) a violation of rule or law, which presents a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety, or (2) improper governmental action … . Section 75-b serves a purpose similar to that of other anti-retaliation statutes, including the New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law § 296) and the New York City Human Rights Law (Administrative Code of City of NY § 8-107), in that they “‘remediat[e] adverse employment actions which, if allowed, would undermine important public policy'” … . Thus, an analogous reading of the term “employee” under Civil Service Law § 75-b to include former employees alleging post-employment retaliation for reports made in the course of their prior employment, is appropriate … . Moreover, blacklisting and providing negative references to an individual’s prospective employers in retaliation for prior reports of government misconduct may constitute adverse personnel action under the statute, in the same way that the State Human Rights Law has been found to cover such acts … . DaCosta v New York City Dept. of Bldgs., 2022 NY Slip Op 01963, First Dept 3-22-22

Practice Point: Civil Service Law 75-b serves the same purpose as the employment anti-retaliation statutes in the New York State and New York City Human Rights Law. The NYC employee’s Civil Service Law 75-b cause of action, alleging he was given a poor reference in retaliation for reporting a conflict of interest, should not have been dismissed, even though he had resigned at the time the suit was filed.

 

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ALTHOUGH THE PERSON WHO ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED PLAINTIFF AT JFK AIRPORT WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF AMERICAN AIRLINES, HE WAS NOT ON DUTY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT; THE DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE VICARIOUS LIABILITY AND NEGLIGENCE CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants’ motion for summary judgment in this vicarious liability, negligent hiring and supervision and premises liability action should have been granted. Plaintiff was allegedly assaulted by Miles, who worked for American Airlines, at JFK airport (owned by defendant Port Authority). Plaintiff sued under respondeat superior and negligence theories. Miles testified he was not on duty at the time of the incident:

Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, an employer may be held vicariously liable for intentional torts committed by employees acting within the scope of their employment, as long as those acts were “generally foreseeable and a natural incident of the employment” … . Where the material facts are not in dispute, the question whether respondeat superior liability attaches is one of law and can be determined on a motion for summary judgment … . Here the threshold question is whether Miles was even working, or under the direction of American, at the time of the incident. … [D]efendants attached the deposition transcript of Miles, who testified that he was not working at the time of the incident. This was sufficient to at least satisfy defendants’ prima facie burden … .

Because the testimony of Miles, who, notably, is not a party to this action, was that he was not on duty when the altercation occurred, defendants shifted the burden on the issue of respondeat superior. Moreover, Miles’s testimony about his job responsibilities — escorting planes in and out, and loading and unloading luggage — established prima facie that the foreseeability element of respondeat superior liability was not present. The alleged assault bore no connection to plaintiff’s work duties, and thus was not “in furtherance of any employer-related goal whatsoever”  Summors v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 2022 NY Slip Op 01891, First Dept 3-17-22

Practice Point: An American Airlines employee allegedly assaulted plaintiff at JFK airport. The defendants demonstrated the American Airlines employee was not on duty at the time of the incident, which was deemed fatal to respondeat superior (vicarious) liability.

 

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THE UNION’S CLAIM THAT THE COUNTY EMPLOYEE, A SEASONAL EMPLOYEE, SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS FULL-TIME BECAUSE HE WORKED 40 HOURS-A-WEEK WAS NOT ARBITRABLE BECAUSE CIVIL SERVICE LAW SECTION 22 PROVIDES THAT RECLASSIFICATION OF A CIVIL SERVICE POSITION CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the grievance filed on behalf of a county employee was not arbitrable because the relief required reclassification of a civil service position:

The respondent Joseph W. Grzymalski began to work for the petitioner, the County of Nassau, on June 28, 2013. He was classified as a seasonal worker and allegedly worked 40 hours per week until his employment was terminated on July 3, 2018.

… [T]he respondent Civil Service Employees Association, AFSCME, Local 1000, AFL-CIO, by its Local 830 (hereinafter CSEA), on behalf of Grzymalski, filed a grievance claiming that because Grzymalski worked 40 hours per week, he was entitled to “full time benefits and status.” …

In determining whether a dispute between a public sector employer and employee is arbitrable, a court must first determine whether “there is any statutory, constitutional or public policy prohibition against arbitration of the grievance” … . …

… [T]he respondents are essentially seeking a reclassification of Grzymalski’s position from seasonal to full time. Since the reclassification of a civil service position can only be accomplished by the municipal civil service commission (see Civil Service Law § 22), the subject grievance is nonarbitrable … . Matter of County of Nassau v Civil Serv. Empls. Assn., Civ. Serv. Empls. Assn., AFSCME, Local 1000, AFL-CIO, 2022 NY Slip Op 01453, Second Dept 3-9-22

Practice Point: Civil Service Law section 22 requires that any reclassification of a public sector employee’s position be done by the municipal civil service commission. Therefore, because there was a statutory prohibition, the request to classify the “seasonal” county employee as a full-time employee was not arbitrable.

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CAUSES OF ACTION ALLEGING BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY DO NOT ACCRUE UNTIL THE FIDUCIARY DUTY IS OPENLY REPUDIATED; CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION BASED UPON FRAUD ARE TIMELY SIX YEARS FROM THE CONVERSION OR TWO YEARS FROM DISCOVERY OF THE CONVERSION; THE RELEVANT CAUSES OF ACTION HERE, THEREFORE, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined causes of action alleging defendant Filardo, plaintiff car dealership’s employee, used fraudulent schemes to steal funds from plaintiff over a period of years, should not have been dismissed on statute of limitations grounds, and/or on the ground the causes of action were not adequately pled:

The plaintiff asserted causes of action against Filardo for breach of fiduciary duty (first cause of action), breach of the duty of loyalty (second cause of action), faithless servant doctrine (third cause of action), conversion (fifth cause of action), fraudulent concealment by fiduciary (sixth cause of action), and promissory estoppel (ninth cause of action), and causes of action against both defendants for aiding and abetting fraud (fourth cause of action), civil conspiracy (seventh cause of action), fraud and deceit (eighth cause of action), unjust enrichment (tenth cause of action), money had and received (eleventh cause of action), and fraud by non-disclosure (twelfth cause of action). …

“The statute of limitations for a cause of action alleging a breach of fiduciary duty does not begin to run until the fiduciary has openly repudiated his or her obligation or the relationship has been otherwise terminated” … Here, the plaintiff alleged that its relationship with Filardo was not terminated until November 2017, and there is no allegation that Filardo openly repudiated his employment obligations prior to that time … .

… [W]hen the allegations of fraud are essential to a cause of action alleging conversion based upon actual fraud, the cause of action is governed by the limitations period for fraud set forth in CPLR 213(8). That statute provides that, in an action based upon fraud, “the time within which the action must be commenced shall be the greater of six years from the date the cause of action accrued or two years from the time the plaintiff or the person under whom the plaintiff claims discovered the fraud, or could with reasonable diligence have discovered it” … .Star Auto Sales of Queens, LLC v Filardo, 2022 NY Slip Op 01476, Second Dept 3-9-22

Practice Point: The statute of limitations for breach of fiduciary duty does not start running until the fiduciary openly repudiates the duty.

Practice Point: The statute of limitations for conversion based upon fraud is six years from the conversion or two years from discovery of the conversion.

 

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PLAINTIFF RAISED QUESTIONS OF FACT ABOUT WHETHER SHE WAS THE VICTIM OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION; UPON HER RETURN FROM MATERNITY LEAVE SHE WAS TOLD HER POSITION HAD BEEN ELIMINATED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s gender-discrimination action against defendant employer should not have been dismissed. Upon returning from maternity leave, plaintiff was informed her management-level position had been eliminated and replaced by a position for which she was not qualified. Defendant did offer plaintiff a job as a temporary social worker at the same salary:

“Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy is a form of gender discrimination” … . …

… [T]he defendant failed to eliminate triable issues of fact as to whether the position offered to the plaintiff involved a materially adverse change in the terms of her employment, since the social worker position did not involve any of the management responsibilities that the plaintiff had performed … . …

… [T[here were triable issues of fact as to whether the plaintiff’s supervisor, Segree, made remarks [re: her pregnancy] indicative of a discriminatory motive to terminate the plaintiff’s employment … . …

Contrary to the defendant’s contention, it also failed to eliminate triable issues of fact as to whether the proffered explanation for terminating the plaintiff’s employment was a pretext for discrimination … . Although McDonald averred that the plaintiff’s employment was terminated because she had no business education and no sales or marketing experience, he acknowledged that a business education was not required. Lefort v Kingsbrook Jewish Med. Ctr., 2022 NY Slip Op 01294, Second Dept 3-2-22

 

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ELIMINATING THE LONGSTANDING PRACTICE OF REIMBURSING RETIREES’ MEDICARE PART B PREMIUMS IS AN ISSUE THAT MUST BE NEGOTIATED WITH CURRENT EMPLOYEES; PERB DETERMINATION ANNULLED (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department, annulling the determination of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), determined eliminating the longstanding practice of reimbursing retirees for Medicare Part B premiums was an issue that must be negotiated with current employees:

In its decision, PERB explicitly found that there was a longstanding practice of reimbursing retirees for their Medicare Part B premiums, rendering negotiation mandatory before the City could make any changes to that past practice for active employees who sought continuation of that benefit. Despite that finding, PERB determined that the improper practice charge must be dismissed because “the City took no action against current employees” since it only notified retirees about the change in the past practice. The fact that PERB only informed retirees of such a change does not mean that it did not affect current employees. PERB’s reasoning in that respect fails to account for the actual hearing testimony, which established that many of petitioner’s witnesses — who were active employees as of January 1, 2010 — either did not receive Medicare Part B reimbursements after that date or were given reason to believe that they would not be so reimbursed in the future despite representations throughout their employment that the practice would continue … . …

Because PERB explicitly found in its decision that “the 25-year[-]long uninterrupted practice” of reimbursing Medicare Part B premiums met the standard of a past practice that was subject to negotiation for active members of petitioner, and there is no dispute that negotiation did not occur between the City and petitioner prior to implementing the change to the reimbursement policy, the matter is remitted to PERB for a final disposition consistent with these findings. Matter of Albany Police Benevolent Assn. v New York Pub. Empl. Relations Bd., 2022 NY Slip Op 01215, Third Dept 2-24-22

 

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PLAINTIFF’S DISCOVERY REQUESTS IN THIS CHILD VICTIM’S ACT ACTION ALLEGING SEXUAL ABUSE BY A CATHOLIC SCHOOL GYM TEACHER WERE PALPABLY IMPROPER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiff’s discovery requests in this Child Victim’s Act action against the Archdiocese of New York were palpably improper and should have been denied (the requests were not described in the decision). Plaintiff alleged sexual abuse by a gym teacher when he was a child in the 1960’s:

Notices for discovery and inspection and interrogatories are palpably improper if they are overbroad or burdensome, fail to specify with reasonable particularity many of the documents demanded, or seek irrelevant or confidential information (see CPLR 3120[2] …). Where the discovery demands are overbroad, the appropriate remedy is to vacate the entire demand rather than to prune it … . “The burden of serving a proper demand is upon counsel, and it is not for the courts to correct a palpably bad one” …

Here, the plaintiff’s discovery demand and interrogatories were palpably improper in that they were overbroad and burdensome, sought irrelevant or confidential information, or failed to specify with reasonable particularity many of the documents demanded … .Fox v Roman Catholic Archdiocese of N.Y., 2022 NY Slip Op 01148

 

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THE TERM “ECONOMIC SECURITY” IN THE NYU FACULTY HANDBOOK DID NOT PROHIBIT A POLICY (THE “REF” POLICY) TYING A TENURED FACULTY MEMBERS’ SALARY-REDUCTION TO THE AMOUNT OF GRANTS PROCURED IN A GIVEN YEAR; THE REF POLICY WAS NOT A DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE; A SPECIFIC SALARY FIGURE IN A TENURED FACULTY MEMBER’S CONTRACT, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE REDUCED PURSUANT TO THE REF POLICY (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice OIng, modifying Supreme Court, determined: (1) the term “economic security” in the faculty handbook was prefatory language that did not prohibit the university (NYU) from tying salary reductions for tenured faculty to the amount of grant-money procured by a faculty member (the REF policy); (2) the salary reductions were not part of disciplinary procedure; and (3) the provision in the contract with one of the faculty members, Samuels, setting his salary at a specific amount prohibited the salary reductions tied to grants as to him:

Assuming that the term “economic security” gives rise to contractual rights, we reject the argument advanced by the Professors and amici curiae that “economic security” is an ambiguous term of art and that custom and usage in academia define it as prohibiting retroactive salary reductions pursuant to such policies as the REF Policy. * * *

A faculty member’s failure to comply with the REF Policy is simply not conduct that is subject to discipline. * * *

We find that NYU breached the terms of the “2001 Contract” when it reduced Professor Samuels’s salary pursuant to the REF Policy and that he is entitled to summary judgment on this claim. Monaco v New York Univ., 2022 NY Slip Op 01125, First Dept 2-22-22