Failure to allege discriminatory animus fatal to an individual’s claims of unlawful discrimination under State and New York City Human Rights Laws
2014 NY Slip Op 05037, Appellate Division, First Department
The Appellate Division affirmed State Supreme Court granting the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Service’s motion to dismiss an employee’s [Employee] Human Rights complaint.
The court, construing the complaint liberally and presuming its factual allegations to be true, gave Employee the benefit of every possible favorable inference and yet found that the Employee had not adequately plead or established a recognized disability under either the State or City Human Rights Law.
The Appellate Division explained that Employee’s medical proof only established that he was extremely anxious and stressed because of his daughter's medical condition.
Further, citing McEniry v Landi, 84 NY2d 554, the court said that Employee failed to adequately plead discriminatory animus. This, it pointed out, was fatal to Employee’s discrimination claims under the State and City Human Rights Laws.