In the Matter of Activision Blizzard, Inc. The conciliation agreement requires Respondents to pay: $55,000 in emotional distress damages and $24,000 in attorneys fees to the Complainant: and $15,000 in civil penalties to the City of New York. The Law Enforcement Bureaus investigation confirmed that Respondent failed to conduct a complete analysis of the Article 23-A factors under the New York State Corrections Law. Respondents also provided information to the Commission about ongoing federal monitoring of EEO complaints, and they completed the following: posted anti-sexual harassment and nondiscrimination notices throughout their Fleet Services locations, distributed anti-sexual harassment fact sheets to FDNY employees, and conducted a sexual harassment prevention training, reviewed and approved by the Commission. After an investigation, the Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau issued a probable cause finding. Bloomsbury will also post the Commissions Notice of Rights and Salary History Ban posters in its offices and a member of its management will attend training at the Commission. Virgin Atlantic Airways Pays $18,000 in Damages For Failing to Provide a Reasonable Accommodation to an EmployeeComplainant, who has a disability that was being aggravated by her job tasks, requested leave from her job with Virgin Atlantic as a reasonable accommodation for her disability. 27 Sports Bar and Caf Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Case for $6,000 in Emotional Distress DamagesComplainant was turned away at the door when she attempted to enter 27 Sports Bar and Caf because she was visibly pregnant. The Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau found that MSKCC violated the NYC Human Rights Law by failing to provide Complainant a reasonable accommodation. 02/19/2021 - OSHA National News Release - US Department of Labor announces OSHA will investigate complaints of whistleblower retaliation under new antitrust, money laundering laws October 2020 PSH signed a stipulation and order agreeing to revise its admission policies to apply equally to people of all genders and sexual orientations. XSport Fitness Agrees to Change Policies to Allow Transgender Patrons to Use Proper FacilitiesAfter receiving credible information that XSport Fitness, which runs a Bronx gym, said that transgender people could not use the facilities that accorded with their gender identities unless they had surgery, the Commission sent a cease and desist letter and ultimately came to an agreement with CF Management-NY, LLC (CFM), the gyms owner. Regardless of whether the anti-retaliation protections extend to you, you may remain eligible for an award under our whistleblower award program. In addition to discrimination charges, in fiscal year 2020, the EEOC resolved 165 lawsuits and filed an additional 93 lawsuits. $100,000 - CEPA Retaliation $125,000 - CEPA Retaliation $125,000 - Sexual Harassment $100,000 - Disability Discrimination $200,000 - Race Discrimination 2020 $352,000 - Disability Discrimination $300,000 - Marital Status Discrimination $225,000 - Sexual Harassment $110,000 - National Origin Discrimination $247,000 - Sexual Harassment 2601, et seq ., is an important law that allows employees in need to . Discipline, Harassment . Uptown Dance Academy Agrees To Revise Hair Policy to Allow BraidsAfter receiving reports that Uptown Dance Academy was not allowing its students to perform with braided hair, the Commission sent a cease and desist letter and ultimately came to an agreement with the Academy. The Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau investigation revealed that Respondents intentionally failed to process the legally required paperwork for Complainants Section 8 voucher. Respondent LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), which manages the Terminal B area, agreed to pay $4,000 in emotional distress damages to Complainant for this incident. The Respondent cooperated with the Law Enforcement Bureaus investigation and sought to mitigate damages to the Complainant. However, sometimes these lawsuits arise when employees, customers or potential customers are offended by another persons comment, gesture or action. Landlord Pays $9,000 in Damages for Failing to Accommodate Tenant; Replaces Bathtub, Changes Policies, Posts Anti-Discrimination Notices in 14 Buildings, and Agrees to TrainingA Bronx tenant requested an accommodation for her landlord to modify her bathtub in order to accommodate her disabilities.The tenant filed a complaint alleging that her landlord refused to replace the bathtub. Mrs. Bee Corp. (Formerly Webster Hall Entertainment Corporation) Agrees To Pay Emotional Distress Damages and Issue a Written Apology in Gender-Based Harassment CaseComplainant, who identifies as gender non-binary, alleged that Respondents former employee subjected them to gender-based harassment and discrimination while they were attending an event at Respondents former entertainment venue. When a person feels they have been negatively affected by another persons actions, this is taken to be retroactively punished through lawsuit. While many businesses attempt to operate lawfully, some do not. Colony East 5th Realty LLC Pays $39,000, and Installs Ramp To Settle Disability Discrimination ComplaintComplainant alleged that her landlord, Colony East 5th Realty LLC, failed to accommodate her disability by failing to construct a ramp at her apartment buildings main entrance. Newsbar Caf Settles Disability, Service Animal Case for $5,000, 40 Hours of Community Service A patron filed a complaint against EK of New York, Inc., d/b/a Newsbar Caf, alleging that she was denied services because of her service animal. Key Food also agreed to create and implement anti-discrimination policies under the NYC Human Rights Law and display a service animal poster in all of its places of business. 3-17736 (December 19, 2016), In the Matter of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, File No. Prior to the conciliation, Respondents attended an anti-discrimination training, created a new reasonable accommodation policy for emotional support animals and service animals, and posted the Commissions anti-discrimination notices at all residential buildings in its portfolio. The Respondent also agreed to create a comprehensive policy regarding assessment of applicants with criminal conviction histories' to provide training to human resources employees; and to display postings outlining its obligations under the NYC Human Rights Law. Virgin Atlantic agreed to pay $18,000 in emotional distress damages to Complainant, develop a new policy regarding disability accommodations compliant with the NYC Human Rights Law, post the Commissions Notice of Rights, and provide training on the NYC Human Rights Law and disability accommodations to all human resources personnel. MMPS of New York paid the Complainant $7,822.87 in back pay, $22,177.13 in emotional distress damages, and $10,000 in civil penalties. Landlord Settles Alienage Status Discrimination Case for $15,000 in Civil Penalties and Affirmative ReliefThe Commission filed a Commission-initiated complaint against a landlord alleging citizenship status discrimination for sending a series of harassing e-mails to a potential tenant regarding their citizenship status, followed by e-mails to one of their bosses seeking to have them removed from the country. 3-17596 (September 29, 2016), In the Matter of Paradigm Capital Management, Inc. and Candace King Weir, File No. InDinero, Inc. Agrees to Pay $65,000 in Damages, Penalties, and Attorneys Fees After Job Applicant was Denied a Position Because of His Criminal HistoryA prospective employee filed a complaint against InDinero, Inc., an accounting software and services company, alleging that Respondent had offered him a job, then suddenly withdrew the offer based on his criminal history. The Respondent agreed to pay the Complainant $10,000 in emotional distress damages, conduct training for staff on the Fair Chance Act, create new employment policies prohibiting criminal history discrimination, and post the Commission's Fair Chance Act and Notice of Rights poster in all locations. The Federal Savings Bank Pays $320,000 To Resolve Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Claims and Agrees to Affirmative Relief and Ongoing MonitoringA former employee filed gender-based harassment and retaliation claims against her employer, The Federal Savings Bank (FSB), and FSBs former CEO Stephen Calk, alleging claims of sexual harassment and retaliation by terminating her employment after she complained. While Complainant was working, he was classified as an independent contractor in both Respondents HR systems. After two weeks, OMG terminated Complainants employment. The Commission joined the action through a Commission-initiated complaint due to the presence of the illegal question on the application. Retaliation lawsuits are filed by people who believe they have been the victim of discrimination in the workplace. RCI also investigates: pay inequity based on sex. Stop and Shop Supermarket Pays $10,000 in Emotional Distress Damages and Agrees To Affirmative Relief in Religious Discrimination CaseComplainant, a Muslim, filed a complaint against Stop and Shop Supermarket Company alleging that an employee made an Islamophobic comment to him during a visit to one of companys stores in Queens. American Museum of Natural History Settles Gender and Pregnancy Discrimination Case for $30,000 in Emotional Distress Damages, Agrees to Implement Affirmative ReliefComplainant filed a claim against her former employer, the American Museum of Natural History, alleging that her supervisor subjected her to a hostile work environment on the basis of her gender and pregnancy. After the Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau investigation, Newsbar agreed to pay $5,000 in emotional distress damages, for the owner to perform 40 hours of community service, for the owner and full-time employees to attend training on the NYC Human Rights Law, create and implement anti-discrimination policies under the NYC Human Rights Law, and display a service animal poster in its place of business. For example, if the defendant is willing to enter into mediation, this will not require them to go to court. The Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau conducted an investigation and found evidence that Complainant's supervisor made inappropriate and illegal comments based on stereotypes, including telling Complainant, "It is very selfish of you to have all these children you cannot take care of," "You should use birth control," and, "When are you going to stop having babies?" The patron ultimately decided not to pursue the matter. Brooklyn-based Property Management Company and Vice President Pay $94,000 in Damages and Penalties in Sexual Harassment CaseComplainant, who was employed as an office assistant by a property management firm for two and a half months, filed a complaint alleging that after she was hired, she was sexually harassed by a vice president, facing repeated unwanted romantic and sexual advances. We encourage you to submit a tip to the SEC if you believe you have been retaliated against for reporting potential securities law violations even if the retaliation occurred outside of the United States. Services for the Underserved, Inc. Settles Complaint Alleging Discrimination on the Basis of Criminal Conviction History for $35,500 in Damages and PenaltiesComplainant, a prospective employee, filed a complaint against Services for the Underserved, Inc., a nonprofit agency providing services to individuals with disabilities, alleging that her job offer had been unlawfully rescinded after a required background check. It is important to note that lawsuits like the one above are not only common, but can happen without warning. If you have already reported to the company, you can still report to the Commission now. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Complainant alleged that after his coworkers learned that he was bisexual, he was ridiculed, groped, and teased on a regular basis, including in front of an owner of the restaurant. The co-op board members and Respondents staff members will also attend training on the NYC Human Rights Law. The Respondents agreed to pay $25,000 in civil penalties, attend an anti-discrimination training, create a reasonable accommodation policy for the New York City-based buildings in its portfolio, submit to monitoring for one year, and post the Commissions anti-discrimination notices throughout the buildings in its portfolio. An investigation by the Law Enforcement Bureau confirmed that Respondent Crunch properly waited until making a conditional offer of employment to do background checks, but then failed to give Complainants individualized assessments of their criminal histories. Touro College Pays $69,914.00 for Failing To Provide a Reasonable Accommodation to Employee with DisabilityComplainant sought a schedule adjustment from her employer, Touro College, related to her disability. Landlord Agrees To Settle Emotional Support Animal, Disability Discrimination and Retaliation Case for $55,000, Training, Creation of a Reasonable Accommodation Policy, and PostingsLandlord EK 3 LLC, imposed a conditional lease rider containing unlawful terms when it approved Complainants reasonable accommodation request for an emotional support animal, and revoked their offer to extend Complainants lease for another term. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act expanded the protections for whistleblowers and broadened the prohibitions against retaliation. Required fields are marked *. The Respondent agreed to pay $6,000 to the Complainant in emotional distress damages and agreed to display the Commissions Notice of Rights poster and to training for the owner and manager on the NYC Human Rights Law. CFM will also post the Commissions Notice of Rights, Single-Sex Facilities Notice, and Pink and Blue campaign posters at its Bronx location, and a member of its management will attend training at the Commission. To settle the case, Respondents Mulberry and Alpha each paid a civil penalty of $1,000 to the City of New York, and Respondent Alpha also paid $2,000 to the Complainant for emotional distress. MSKCC terminated Complainant, claiming that allowing her to continue working part-time would be an undue hardship. Under section 1102.5 of the California Code, an employer may not retaliate against an employee for actions taken by the employee such as: Disclosing a violation of law to a government or law enforcement office information Reporting a violation of law to his or her employer Refusing to participate in activity that would violate a law Respondent NYC Parks agreed to pay $25,000 in emotional distress damages and to pre-certify her to be hired for the next available NYC Parks job for which she qualifies in one of two boroughs. Dalton Management Company Settles Complaint Alleging Discrimination on the Basis of Source of Income for $7,000 in Damages to ComplainantComplainant, a prospective tenant, filed a complaint against Dalton Management Company, LLC, the management company of a building where Complainant had applied for an apartment, alleging that she was unlawfully denied housing because of her source of income. The Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau conducted an investigation and concluded that there was probable cause to credit the complainants allegations that Respondents unlawfully inquired into his criminal history prior to a conditional offer of employment. For example, if an employer discovered that an employee was making jokes about another person in front of their peers, this would often mean that the employer would be liable for firing the employee. This can include instances where a person feels they were fired unfairly or that they have experienced a negative influence on the way they have been treated. Co-op With a No Dog Policy Pays $27,000, Agrees To Create a Reasonable Accommodation Policy, Display Postings and TrainingsComplainant was denied her emotional support animal by her co-op board for more than a year despite presenting them with supporting medical documentation. The employer had failed to properly apply the Article 23-A analysis pursuant to the Fair Chance Act. Following the incident, the patient filed a complaint against LabCorp for failing to accommodate his disability during his visit. Tamosaitis agreed to a settlement of his federal retaliation lawsuit against Hanford contractor URS for $4.1 million dollars. Terminated.com Lawyers obtained a $400,000 settlement in a disability discrimination case without ever having to file a lawsuit. NYC Parks also trained the named managers and other Staten Island employees on the NYC Human Rights Laws protections for survivors of domestic violence, revised its anti-discrimination policy, created a Parks-specific domestic violence protections poster to post along with the Commissions Notice of Rights. Respondents resolved the matter pre-complaint by entering into a Stipulation and Order with the Commission, requiring Respondents to design and construct a compliant ramp at the buildings entrance to accommodate all tenants unable to use the front stairs due to a disability. Employer, 1199 SEIU Child Care Fund, Pays $31,500 in Damages and Civil Penalties To Resolve Gender-Based Harassment ClaimsComplainant, an employee of a labor union fund, filed a complaint alleging that her supervisor subjected her to a gender-based hostile work environment. Chipotle will also post the Commissions Notice of Rights in English and Spanish, the Pregnancy Discrimination Notice, and Stop Sexual Harassment Notice, at all its New York City locations. Name Title Compensation Date of data; Mario Munoz: Vice President: $0: 2021-12-31: Leslie Mariscal: President: $0: 2021-04-22: Financials for Blue Ribbon Retaliation Intvn Cnter. Yodle and the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement requiring Yodle to pay $5,000 in civil penalties and to continue to comply with the NYCHRL in its employment applications. Complainant, Respondents, and the Commission then entered into a conciliation agreement requiring Respondents to pay $9,000 in emotional distress damages to Complainant. Key Food Supermarket Agrees to Training, Policy Creation, and Posting in Disability Discrimination MatterA patron filed a complaint against 42-15 Food Corp. d/b/a Key Food Supermarket (Key Food), alleging that she was denied services because of her service animal. Respondent LGP further agreed to provide the Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau with its draft employee handbook for review and provide the Commission with confirmation that it had completed annual sexual harassment prevention training that complies with the NYC Human Rights Law. The Respondents worked with the Law Enforcement Bureau to settle the case in which Respondents paid Complainant $5,000 in emotional distress damages; agreed to edit and update their policies; agreed to take a training on the source of income provisions of the NYC Human Rights Law; agreed to send information to all their agents about their updated policies and compliance with the law; and agreed to ongoing monitoring by the Commission. Among the Commission's 2020 Settlements, fashion retailer Zara agreed to pay $30,000 in emotional distress damages and work to create employment opportunities for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary New Yorkers (March). The property manager for the building also attended a training on the NYC Human Rights Law. As EEOC works to address this issue, you can help. The Commission and the parties entered into a conciliation agreement requiring Respondent to pay Complainant $21,500 in emotional distress damages, pay $10,000 in civil penalties, provide all of the funds employees with anti-sexual harassment training, ensure that it has meaningful policies in place to address complaints of discrimination, post the Commissions Stop Sexual Harassment Act Notice, and distribute the Commissions Stop Sexual Harassment Act Fact Sheet. Additionally, Respondent LGP agreed to adopt a Patron Non-Discrimination Policy which specifically addresses the right of individuals to use single-sex facilities which most closely correspond to their gender identity and to distribute the Patron Non-Discrimination Policy and training materials to those who do regular business in the terminal. Alliance Building Services Pays $25,000 in Damages and Penalties for Violations of the Fair Chance ActA job applicant filed a complaint against of discrimination against Alliance Building Services alleging that Alliance Building Services unlawfully inquired into his criminal history prior to a conditional offer of employment and improperly denied him employment on the basis of his criminal history. In addition, Pinnacle Management agreed to set aside four apartments in their portfolio for applicants with housing subsidies or vouchers and update their policies in accordance with the source of income provisions of the NYC Human Rights Law. RSH submitted its policy for review and signed a stipulation and order agreeing to post the Commissions Notice of Rights and Protections Based on Immigration Status and National Origin posters at Zengo and its co-located bar, La Biblioteca de Tequila.