Gryga v. Ganzman

991 F. Supp. 105, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 262, 84 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 557, 1998 WL 12134
District Court, E.D. New York·Decided January 12, 1998·No. 97 Cv. 3929·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

ORDER

GLASSER, District Judge.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, Ava Gryga, has been employed as a “community assistant” for the Public Administrator of King’s County since 1993, in which position she performs clerical duties. Compl. ¶ 15. Her immediate supervisor was and continues to be defendant Joel Ganzman, the Deputy Public Administrator of Kings County. Id. at ¶¶ 14,16.

Plaintiff claims that “[i]n or about June 1994, defendant Ganzman told plaintiff that he wanted to have sexual relations with her. Even though plaintiff clearly rejected defendant Ganzman’s advances, defendant Ganz-man, over approximately the next two years, from time to time repeated his desires to have sex with plaintiff.” Id. at ¶ 20. He also “from time to time ... called plaintiff into his office closed the door, and implored [plaintiff] to kiss and hug him.” Id. at ¶ 21. Furthermore, defendant subjected plaintiff to “repeated and improper sexual remarks and innuendo.” Id. at ¶25. “For example, defendant Ganzman told plaintiff to wear her hair down and paint her nails red because he liked them that way.” Id. at ¶ 26. Defendant “also made lewd and offensive comments to plaintiff about his own sex life and about plaintiffs body.” Id. at ¶ 27. And, in the Spring of 1996, “Ganzman told plaintiff that if she had sexual relations with him he would see that she had special privileges at work.” Id. at ¶ 28.

Plaintiff made it clear to Ganzman that his behavior was offensive to her. Id. ■ at ¶ 23. In retaliation for plaintiffs rejection of his *107 'sexual advances, defendant Ganzman “subjected plaintiff to discriminatory treatment on the job, such as docking her pay, docking her vacation time, and other retaliatory acts.” Id. at ¶ 24.

Plaintiff eventually “complained to Commissioner Samuel Plotkin of Public Administrator, about Ganzman’s unlawful behavior.” Id. at ¶ 29. The Public Administrator, however, did not conduct a proper investigation of plaintiffs claims, id. at ¶30, and “at no time was defendant Ganzman subjected to reprimand or probation for his misconduct, nor was defendant Ganzman required to undergo training or education concerning appropriate conduct toward female employees.” Id. at ¶ 31.

On September 17, 1996, plaintiff filed a complaint of sexual harassment with the City of New York Commission of Human Rights. That agency forwarded plaintiffs complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). Id. at ¶ 5. The EEOC sent plaintiff a “Right to Sue” letter on May 1,1997, and on July 8,1997, plaintiff filed the present suit. Id. at ¶ 6.

Plaintiff has asserted the following causes of action against defendants: Quid pro quo sexual harassment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; hostile work environment sexual harassment in violation of Title VII; unlawful retaliation in violation of Title VII; sexual harassment pursuant to New York Human Rights Law, Executive Law § 296 et seq.; infliction of extreme emotional distress; and sexual harassment in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law, New York City Administrative Code § 8-107.

Defendant City of New York (the “City”) has brought the present motion for dismissal under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) on the grounds that this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction and because the complaint fails to state a claim against the City of New York. 1 Defendant argues that the City of New York is not plaintiffs employer and thus cannot be held liable under Title VIL Furthermore, defendant claims that there are “no allegations of any kind directed to the City of New York, let alone allegations of discriminatory treatment by the City of New York or any of its employees.” Def.’s Mem. of Law 1.

DISCUSSION

Motion to Dismiss/Summary Judgment

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Gryga v. Ganzman, 991 F. Supp. 105, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 262, 84 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 557, 1998 WL 12134 (E.D.N.Y. 1998).

991 F. Supp. 105 (Gryga v. Ganzman) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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