What are My Rights as a Pregnant Employee in New York City?

Pregnancy is a joyous yet stressful time for many women in New York. Juggling a full-time job and an expected new baby is never easy. Unfortunately, too many New York employers make things more difficult by failing to make the necessary pregnancy accommodations required by federal, state, and city laws.

The Legal Aftermath of the Sexual Harassment Scandals

As the public continues to process the growing number of sexual harassment scandals involving public figures, lawmakers and businesses are moving to adopt new policies designed to remedy actual and perceived abuses of the legal process in this area. Whether or not these changes will help or hurt the actual

New York Federal Reserve Accused of Race Discrimination

Race discrimination in the workplace is not always overt. In many cases it comes down to an employer subtly but noticeably treating certain groups of employees differently. For instance, if an employer enforces certain workplace rules strictly against Hispanic employees but is more lenient with Caucasian workers, that may give rise

Can an Email Exchange Create a Binding Employment Agreement in New York?

In New York employment is considered “at-will” unless the parties have a written employment agreement. This means, for example, that an employer does not have to give you any severance pay upon termination unless you have a contract in place that provides otherwise. Ideally, a severance agreement is in writing and

EEOC Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Claim With NYC Employer

New York employers cannot treat female employees unfavorably just because they become pregnant or require leave for childbirth or a medical condition related to their pregnancy. Federal, state, and local laws all prohibit such acts of pregnancy discrimination. Even if an employer thinks it has a good reason for permanently replacing

When is My Employer Liable for a Coworker Sexually Harassing Me?

Sexual harassment often reflects a larger problem within a company. But as a matter of federal employment law, the U.S. Supreme Court has said an employer is not automatically liable for illegal harassment committed by an employee. That said, if the harasser was the victim’s supervisor, then the employer can be

Can I Sue for Retaliatory Acts Other Than Getting Fired?

Employment discrimination often involves retaliation. For example, if you suffer from racially discriminatory practices at work, and the company fires you after you complain about it, the latter act is one of retaliation. Federal, state, and local laws prohibit both discrimination and retaliation. As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the