Vincent E. Henry v. Long Island University

District Court, E.D. New York·Decided September 14, 2026·No. 2:25-cv-04618·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK -----------------------------------------------------------------X VINCENT E. HENRY,

Plaintiff, MEMORANDUM v. AND ORDER 25-CV-4618-SJB-LGD LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY,

Defendant. -----------------------------------------------------------------X BULSARA, United States District Judge: Plaintiff Vincent E. Henry filed this discrimination action against his former employer Defendant Long Island University (“LIU”), alleging that he was forced to resign because of his age and in retaliation for his request for accommodation after the program in which he taught was discontinued. He asserts claims for violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”). LIU has moved to dismiss all his claims. (Def.’s Mem. in Supp. of Mot. to Dismiss dated Nov. 20, 2025 (“Def.’s Mot.”), Dkt. No. 19-2). For the reasons explained below, the motion is granted. Furthermore, the Court imposes sanctions on counsel for their use of fake, nonexistent cases. LEGAL STANDARD “To survive a motion to dismiss [pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6)], a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quotations omitted). “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. A complaint must contain more than “naked assertion[s] devoid of further factual enhancement.” Id. (quotations omitted). In other words, a plausible claim contains “factual content that allows the court to draw the

reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id.; Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). “Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level . . . on the assumption that all the allegations in the complaint are true (even if doubtful in fact)[.]” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007) (internal citations omitted). The determination of whether a party has alleged a plausible claim is “a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial

experience and common sense.” Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679. This pleading requirement “does not impose a probability standard at the motion-to-dismiss stage.” Mosaic Health, Inc. v. Sanofi-Aventis U.S., LLC, 156 F.4th 68, 77 (2d Cir. 2025) (noting that plausibility does not equate to probability). And “on a Rule 12(b)(6) motion it is not the province of the court to dismiss the complaint on the basis of the court’s choice among plausible alternatives. Assuming that [plaintiff] can adduce sufficient evidence to support its factual allegations, the choice between or among

plausible interpretations of the evidence will be a task for the factfinder.” Id. (quotations omitted). FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY For the purpose of this motion, the Court is “required to treat” the Plaintiffs’ “factual allegations as true, drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of [Plaintiffs] to the extent that the inferences are plausibly supported by allegations of fact.” In re Hain Celestial Grp., Inc. Sec. Litig., 20 F.4th 131, 133 (2d Cir. 2021). The Court “therefore recite[s] the substance of the allegations as if they represented true facts, with the understanding that these are not findings of the court, as we have no way of knowing at

this stage what are the true facts.” Id. Henry began his employment as a professor at LIU in 2004 and received tenure in 2009. (Compl. dated Aug. 19, 2025, Dkt. No. 1 ¶ 10). He is the founding director of the Homeland Security Management Institute (“HSMI”), LIU’s first fully online graduate program which has trained hundreds of homeland security professionals over the last two decades. (Id. ¶¶ 10–11).

As a 9/11 first responder, Henry alleges that he suffers from multiple chronic conditions, including respiratory and gastrointestinal impairments. (Id. ¶ 17). In May 2024, he submitted a formal request for a reasonable accommodation to LIU’s Human Resources Department along with medical documentation from his treating physician. (Id. ¶ 18). On August 24, 2024, LIU’s Director of Benefits confirmed in writing that Henry could continue working remotely as a professor for the Fall of 2024. (Id. ¶ 19). Henry alleges that he immediately clarified that the accommodation he sought was not

for remote work for his program, which was already online, but for permission to teach in other departments, in anticipation of the program’s termination. (Id. ¶ 20). On August 30, 2024, days before the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester, LIU’s Chief Operating Officer summoned Henry to a meeting and presented him with a pre- drafted resignation agreement, requiring same-day execution or immediate termination. (Compl. ¶ 23; see also Henry & LIU Agreement (“Agreement”), attached to Aff. of Douglas Catalano as Ex. B, Dkt. No. 19-1)1. Henry alleges that LIU threatened to immediately terminate his employment if he did not agree to resign on August 30, 2025. (Compl. ¶ 21).

The Agreement states that Henry agreed to teach the remaining students in HSMI for the upcoming school year and that LIU would provide compensation and benefits for a full workload, regardless of the number of students in the class. (Agreement ¶¶ 1–2). Henry agreed to retire from his position at LIU effective August 31, 2025 and LIU agreed to rescind and expunge his termination and letter of termination dated August 30, 2024. (Id. ¶¶ 3, 6). Henry also agreed to waive all claims

arising out of his employment up to and including the date of execution. (Id. ¶ 8). The Agreement was signed by both parties on September 10, 2024, but it was retroactively made effective as of August 30, 2024. (Id.). Henry alleges that he signed the Agreement, despite his counsel’s warning, as he was under “severe economic and professional duress” and was concerned for “student continuity during HSMI’s wind- down.” (Compl. ¶ 25). On April 15, 2025, Henry filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). (Id. ¶ 35; Charge of

Discrimination, attached to Pl.’s Resp. to Def.’s Mot. for Premotion Conference dated Oct. 6, 2025, Dkt. No. 13).

1 While the Agreement was not attached to the Complaint, it is incorporated by reference and considered here. See Chambers v. Time Warner, Inc., 282 F.3d 147, 153 (2d Cir. 2002) (“[O]n a motion to dismiss, a court may consider documents attached to the complaint as an exhibit or incorporated in it by reference” where a plaintiff “reli[es] on the terms and effect of a document in drafting the complaint.” (quotation omitted)). Henry commenced this action on August 20, 2025. (Compl.). He asserts three causes of action: (1) discrimination in violation of the ADEA; (2) retaliation in violation of the ADA; and (3) constructive discharge and retaliation in violation of the ADA, the

ADEA, and Title VII. (Id. ¶¶ 37–39). Henry previously sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. (Id. ¶¶ 26–32; Mot. for TRO dated Aug. 20, 2025, Dkt. No. 2). He sought to enjoin LIU from enforcing or relying upon the August 30, 2024 resignation agreement in terminating his employment. (Compl. at 9). The Court denied the motion. (Order dated Aug. 20, 2025).

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