Ziccarelli v. NYU Hospitals Center

247 F. Supp. 3d 438, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49292
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 29, 2017
Docket15 Civ. 9307 (DAB)
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 247 F. Supp. 3d 438 (Ziccarelli v. NYU Hospitals Center) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ziccarelli v. NYU Hospitals Center, 247 F. Supp. 3d 438, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49292 (S.D.N.Y. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

DEBORAH BATTS, United States District Judge.

On August 24, 2015, Plaintiff Jeffry Zic-carelli filed suit against Defendants NYU Hospitals Center • a/k/a NYU Langone Medical Center (“NYU”) and Cheryl Long, Sheryl Bushman, Nader Mherabi, and Nancy Beale (collectively the “Individual Defendants”) for alleged interference with Plaintiffs rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) (Count I), 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601-54, FMLA retaliation (Count II), improper disclosure of medical information (Count III), and violation of the New York City Human Rights Law (Count VII), N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 8-101-1104. Plaintiff also brings charges against NYU for negligence (Count IV), gross negligence (Count V), and violation of the Americans with' Disabilities Act (“ADA”) (Count VI), 42 U.S.C. § 12112(d)(4)(A).1 On November 25, 2015, NYU, Mherabi, and Beale removed the case to this Court. NYU, Mherabi, and Beale then moved to dismiss the FMLA counts' (Counts I and II) as against Mhera-bi and Beale, the improper disclosure of medical information (Count III) as against NYU, Mherabi, and Beale, and negligence (Count IV), gross negligence (Count V), and ADA (Count VI) charges as against NYU.' Bushman and Long subsequently filed a Motion to Dismiss the FMLA counts (Counts I and II) as against Bushman and the improper disclosure of medical information charge (Count III) as against Bushman and Long. In opposing both Motions to Dismiss, Plaintiff filed a [443]*443cross Motion for Leave to Amend his Complaint, attaching a Proposed Amended Complaint (ECF No. 21; PL’s 2d Opp. Ex. B (“PAC”).) For the following reasons, Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss Counts I, II, and III as against Mherabi, Beale, and Bushman. Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss Count III as against NYU and Long and Counts IV and V as against NYU are DENIED. Plaintiffs Motion for Leave to Amend is DENIED because the specific proposed amendments would be futile as to Counts I and II as against Mherabi, Beale, and Bushman and Count III as against all Defendants, but Plaintiff is GRANTED leave to amend to include additional facts that could sustain the charges discussed contained in Counts I and II against Mherabi, Beale, and Bushman and Count III against all Defendants.

I. BACKGROUND

For the purpose of the Motions to Dismiss, the Court assumes as true the factual allegations in Plaintiffs Complaint and Proposed Amended Complaint.

This suit arises from Plaintiffs employment at NYU and his treatment as a patient at NYU. Plaintiff was employed by NYU for almost thirty years until his resignation on June 20, 2014. (Compl. ¶¶ 8, 84.) Plaintiff was promoted to Application Lead on the Epic Lab team in June 2012. (Id. ¶ 9.) Allegedly, Plaintiff received consistent praise and positive reviews at NYU through the summer of 2013. (Id. ¶¶ 11-14.)

Plaintiff provides scant information in the Complaint about Individual Defendants’ roles at NYU but specifies that he began reporting to Long, the Director of the Orders Team, while on FMLA leave. (Id. ¶ 18.)

A. Plaintiffs FMLA Leave

On April 13, 2013, Plaintiff was injured and applied for FMLA leave so that he could have surgery to repair a proximal humerus fracture and a rotator cuff tear and do subsequent physical therapy. (Compl. ¶ 15.) Plaintiffs request for leave was granted, and he began his leave on April 23, 2013. (Id. ¶ 16.)

While Plaintiff was on FMLA leave, the structure of his team changed, and he began reporting directly to Long. (Id. ¶ 18.) Despite the fact that Plaintiff was on leave, Long allegedly began to require him to work remotely in July 2013, including sending him work-related emails and forcing him to participate in work-related phone calls. (Id. ¶¶ 19-23.) She also began to pressure him to return to work, even though he was allegedly still undergoing therapy, taking medication that affected his ability to work, and had not been medically cleared to return to work. (Id. ¶ 20.) Long told Plaintiff that she would limit his hours if he returned to work before the end of his leave. (Id ¶ 25.) Because of the pressure, Plaintiff returned to work early, on July 1, 2013, despite the fact that he was not fully recovered. (Id. ¶ 27.) Shortly thereafter, Long began to force Plaintiff to work long hours and on weekends. (Id. ¶ 28.)

Plaintiff was concerned with the impact his early return to work and the long hours were having on his recovery. (Compl. ¶¶ 29-31.) Although he expressed these concerns to Long, she was allegedly completely dismissive of his concerns. (Id. ¶¶ 32-33.) Because of his medical condition and the effect his work had on his recovery, Plaintiff had to take a second FMLA leave from late August to early October 2013. (Id ¶ 36.)

B. Improper Access to and Disclosure of Plaintiffs Medical Information

In connection with his injury and subsequent surgery, Plaintiff underwent medical treatment at NYU beginning on April 13, [444]*4442013. (Id. ¶ 43.) These services were allegedly unrelated to his employment at NYU and were available to the public. (Id. ¶ 38.) His medical records were part of NYU’s electronic database. (Id. ¶ 40.) These records are allegedly accessible to hundreds of NYU employees, including Individual Defendants. (Id. ¶ 46.)

According to the Complaint, NYU management had previously been informed that employees had viewed patient records—the confidential medical records were accessible by employees without authority, permission, or consent to view those records. (Id. ¶ 48.) Despite knowing this, NYU allegedly failed to modify the system so that it would have a record of which employees had viewed particular records. (Id ¶ 49.)

Even though Plaintiffs doctor submitted reports directly to NYU in connection with his FMLA leave, Long allegedly accessed and reviewed Plaintiffs confidential medical records to try to find evidence that he was capable of returning from his leave and/or to undermine or challenge his FMLA rights and benefits. (Id. ¶¶ 37, 52-54.) In late May 2013, Long called Plaintiff at home, initiating a conversation about his leave and recovery and making statements that indicated knowledge that Plaintiff had begun physical therapy, despite the fact that Plaintiff had not disclosed this information to Long. (Id. ¶ 50.)

C. FMLA Retaliation

After Plaintiffs return from both FMLA leaves, Long allegedly began to treat him harshly and unfairly, give him a greater workload than he had had prior to leave, and berate him. (Id. ¶ 34.) Bushman also allegedly began to harass Plaintiff, because she was friends with Long and because Plaintiff witnessed her sexually harassing another employee.2 (Id. ¶¶ 56-59.) Plaintiff began to discuss these working conditions and Long’s treatment of him with Human Resources in August 2013. (Id. ¶¶ 35, 63.) Plaintiff also sent a letter to Human Resources in October 2013 about the alleged retaliation and hostile work environment, requesting mediation between him, Long, and Bushman, but NYU did nothing to respond to the letter nor to stop Long and Bushman’s conduct. (Id. ¶¶ 63-64.)

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247 F. Supp. 3d 438, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49292, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ziccarelli-v-nyu-hospitals-center-nysd-2017.