Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment Claim Survives Summary Judgment

In Crookendale v. New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., No. 154788/2015, 2018 NY Slip Op 31309(U), 2018 WL 3145921 (Sup Ct, N.Y Cty. June 21, 2018) (J. Tisch), the court held that plaintiff’s hostile work environment/sexual harassment claim – asserted under the NYC Human Rights Law – survived summary judgment.

From the decision:

Here, plaintiff alleges that shortly after she started her employment with the Hospital, [plaintiff’s direct supervisor] began groping plaintiff behind closed doors on a near daily basis, would stroke plaintiff’s face and hair telling plaintiff how pretty she was, bought plaintiff gifts of lotion and perfume saying “I’m going to like the way it smells on you”, touched plaintiff’s breasts under the guise of adjusting plaintiff’s clothes, among other things. Defendant denies these allegations. It is not, however, for the court to determine the veracity of these allegations. Based on these allegations and assessing the record in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the Court finds this branch of the summary judgment motion must be denied as a matter of law

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