New York Employment Lawyer Blog

Recently, a jury found that pharmaceutical company, Novartis must pay $250 million in punitive damages as a result of gender discrimination against female sales representatives. The court found that the company engaged in a pattern of discrimination against women.

This award comes several days after the jury found the company liable for gender discrimination and made compensatory damages awards to several of the plaintiffs who testified in the matter. It is our hope that this sends a clear message and gives pause to those who believe that treating women less favorably than men is something that will be tolerated by the judicial system.

Anti-bullying legislation has recently been passed by the New York State Legislature. Workplace bullying has become an epidemic and has significant ramifications for employees both emotionally and financially. The law also appears to give incentives to employers who take steps to prevent such unlawful conduct in the workplace.

The steps taken by the New York State Legislature represent a major step forward in helping to protect the rights of employees in the workplace. The bill is presently awaiting the Governor's signature.

Protections for those being discriminated against based on their sexual orientation is currently at the forefront of debate in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the current federal anti-discrimination law, Title VII now stands, protections for discrimination based on sexual orientation are not specifically included in the language of the statute. Numerous sates and localities, however, do include protections for sexual orientation in their own statutues.

It is possible that there may be a vote on the House floor in the coming weeks on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act ("ENDA") which would include sexual orientation and transgender protections. No date has been scheduled for this vote as of yet.

More information can be found here.