In the Matter of Guggenheim Securities, LLC, SEC v. Collector's Coffee, Inc. (d/b/a Collectors Cafe), and Mykalai Kontilai, In the Matter of Homestreet, Inc. and Darrell Van Amen, In the Matter of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV. In the Matter of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., Activision Blizzard to Pay $35 Million for Failing to Maintain Disclosure Controls Related to Complaints of Workplace Misconduct and Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule, SEC Charges the Brink's Company with Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule, SEC Charges Co-Founder of Technology Company for Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule, SEC Charges Broker-Dealer for Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule, SEC Charges Investment Adviser and Others With Defrauding Over 17,000 Retail Investors, SEC Charges Issuer and CEO with Violating Whistleblower Protection Laws to Silence Investor Complaints, Connecticut Broker and Investment Adviser Convicted On 21 Counts of Fraud and Money Laundering, Financial Company Charged with Improper Accounting and Impeding Whistleblowers, Company Settles Charges in Whistleblower Retaliation Case, Company Violated Rule Aimed at Protecting Potential Whistleblowers, Risk Alert: Examining Whistleblower Rule Compliance, SEC: Casino-Gaming Company Retaliated Against Whistleblower, SEC Charges Anheuser-Busch InBev With Violating FCPA and Whistleblower Protection Laws, Company Punished for Severance Agreements That Removed Financial Incentives for Whistleblowing, Company Paying Penalty for Violating Key Whistleblower Protection Rule, Merrill Lynch to Pay $415 Million for Misusing Customer Cash and Putting Customer Securities at Risk, SEC Announces Award to Whistleblower in First Retaliation Case, SEC: Companies Cannot Stifle Whistleblowers in Confidentiality Agreements, SEC Charges Hedge Fund Adviser With Conducting Conflicted Transactions and Retaliating Against Whistleblower, Statement on Court Filing by SEC to Protect Whistleblowers From Retaliation, Providing information to the SEC under the whistleblower program, or, Initiating, testifying in, or assisting the SEC in any investigation or proceeding. Pacific Street Hospitality Agrees to Policy Changes, Training, and Postings for Discriminatory Admission Policies at Ethyls Alcohol and FoodAfter receiving credible information that Ethyl's Alcohol and Food, a Manhattan bar, had different standards for admitting people based on gender and on sexual orientation, the Commission sent a cease and desist letter and ultimately came to an agreement with Pacific Street Hospitality (PSH), the hospitality group that owns the bar. Additionally, MMPS of New York instituted new policies regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions as well as lactation polices for new parents who have returned to work; they also agreed to attend training and display the Commissions Notice of Rights poster. Key Food also agreed to create and implement anti-discrimination policies under the NYC Human Rights Law and display a service animal poster in all of its places of business. LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the Bureau of Children's Justice and False Claims Unit of the California Department of Justice has reached a settlement agreement with K12 Inc., a for-profit online charter school operator, and the . Additionally, the Commission may negotiate additional remedies including rehiring, policy change, training, and modifications for accessibility. Newsbar Caf Settles Disability, Service Animal Case for $5,000, 40 Hours of Community Service A patron filed a complaint against EK of New York, Inc., d/b/a Newsbar Caf, alleging that she was denied services because of her service animal. Retaliation, EEOC, Settlement | JD Supra If you are looking to file a lawsuit, you must first know whether your lawyer has experience with these lawsuits. Ultimately, Complainant alleged that he attempted to report hostile work environment, but that no steps were taken by the owners to address the unlawful conduct. Such an agreement may violate the federal securities laws. All Respondents agreed to also post the Commissions Notice of Rights and Source of Income discrimination posters in their building(s) or office, revise policies, and attend training on their obligations under the NYC Human Rights Law. Age, Disability. Dodd-Frank also created a private right of action that gives whistleblowers the right to file a retaliation complaint in federal court. Landlord Pays $5,000 in Damages in Source of Income Discrimination CaseA complainant alleging source of income discrimination based on his attempt to use his HASA voucher brought a complaint against 639 Realty LLC and Affordable Housing Real Estate Corp. The Commission has the authority to assess fines and obtain monetary damages for those aggrieved by violations of the New York CityHuman Rights Law. The Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau found that MSKCC violated the NYC Human Rights Law by failing to provide Complainant a reasonable accommodation. You can find more information about the Dodd-Frank whistleblower protections, including the time period by which a whistleblower must file a private action in federal court, in Section 922 of the Dodd-Frank Act. Cosmopolitan Club Agrees to Gender-Neutral Admissions and Dress Policies After receiving credible information that The Cosmopolitan Club (the Club), a members-only, full-service club on the Upper East Side had different admissions and dress policies for men and women, the Commission sent a document demand seeking more information. The Respondents also agreed to place two voucher holders in immediate need of housing in set aside units as part of the agreement. The investigation found that the restaurant owner made one Complainant show the medical device affixed to her body in public and after doing so, denied Complainants service on the basis of one Complainants disability and her service animal. Following the incident, the patient filed a complaint against LabCorp for failing to accommodate his disability during his visit. RSH submitted its policy for review and signed a stipulation and order agreeing to post the Commissions Notice of Rights and Protections Based on Immigration Status and National Origin posters at Zengo and its co-located bar, La Biblioteca de Tequila. The Commission joined the action through a Commission-initiated complaint due to the presence of the illegal question on the application. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 29 U.S.C. This generally means that employers may not discharge, demote, suspend, harass, or in any way discriminate against an employee in the terms and conditions of employment who has reported conduct to the Commission that the employee reasonably believed violated the federal securities laws. Respondent agreed to pay $10,000 in emotional damages to Complainant, conduct anti-discrimination training on the NYC Human Rights Law and display the Commissions Notice of Rights and Stop Sexual Harassment Act posters at all 212 stores in New York City. Respondent NYC Parks agreed to pay $25,000 in emotional distress damages and to pre-certify her to be hired for the next available NYC Parks job for which she qualifies in one of two boroughs. Respondents agreed to pay $15,000 in civil penalties, to include the Commissions Notice of Rights in all new leases, to post the Commissions Notice of Rights in their building, and to attend training on their obligations under the NYC Human Rights Law. Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit Social Services Company EAC Network Pays $12,500 for Terminating Employee While Out on DisabilityA substance abuse/mental health counselor who sustained serious injuries to her hand and foot, requiring a long-term medical leave, was terminated from her employment after several months when her employer claimed that it could no longer hold her job open. To settle the case, Respondents Mulberry and Alpha each paid a civil penalty of $1,000 to the City of New York, and Respondent Alpha also paid $2,000 to the Complainant for emotional distress. Chipotle will also post the Commissions Notice of Rights in English and Spanish, the Pregnancy Discrimination Notice, and Stop Sexual Harassment Notice, at all its New York City locations. Swatch Pays Damages, Civil Penalties, and Undertakes Affirmative Relief in Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act Case Complainant alleged that he visited a Swatch Group (US) Inc. store location to apply for a retail position, where he was presented with a paper application requesting that he authorize the employer to check his credit report, in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law's Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act protections. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 OULegal. 6LinkedIn 8 Email Updates, Protections Against Actions Taken to Impede Reporting, Department of Labors whistleblower website, In the Matter of International Game Technology, In the Matter of Paradigm Capital Management, Inc. and Candace King Weir. Design House and Luxury Retailer Prada USA Corp.Agrees to Groundbreaking Settlement and Commits to Restorative Justice Measures Including Creating a Scholarship Program, Hiring a Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Undergoing Racial Equity and Training, and Increasing Staff Diversity In December 2018, the Commission's Law Enforcement Bureau issued a cease and desist letter and launched an investigation into Pradas display and sale of its Pradamalia merchandise. NYC Department of Education Agrees to Pay $100,000, Conduct Training, and Put Up Postings to Settle Former Employees Religious Discrimination Claim Complainant, who worked for an adult career center run by the New York City Department of Education, alleged that her employer discriminated against her by failing to reasonably accommodate her need for leave to observe a religious holiday, causing her constructive termination. The first step to getting the right advice is knowing what type of lawsuit you should be pursuing. Additionally, a representative from Respondents board of directors will attend a training on the NYC Human Rights Law. CBHS revised its dress code and signed a stipulation and order agreeing to distribute the revised policy to its employees. In the Matter of Activision Blizzard, Inc. To understand how this may affect you, we encourage you to consult with an attorney. Divorce Lawyer: Understanding Their Role in Your Divorce Case, Charged with a Felony? Additionally, MSKCC agreed to modify its employment policies, including its reasonable accommodation policy, to reflect the NYC Human Rights Law. Lawsuits & Settlements | State of California - Department of Justice pay inequity based on race. Additionally, Chipotle agreed to monitor reasonable accommodation requests for one (1) year at fifteen (15) New York City based locations and submit its log to the Commissions Law Enforcement Bureau at the end of the year. As part of the settlement agreement, Chipotle paid the employee $11,220 in back pay, $15,000 in emotional distress damages, $10,000 in attorney fees, and $10,000 in civil penalties. Landlord Agrees To Settle Commission-Initiated Disability Discrimination Case for Civil Penalties, Installation of Ramps, Affirmative ReliefThe Law Enforcement Bureau initiated an investigation after it received multiple complaints from building residents of 8750 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, about the need for external and internal ramps, and agents of the landlord refused to construct those ramps. Respondent agreed to pay Complainant $12,500 in emotional distress damages, to modify its employee policies to better comply with the NYC Human Rights Law, and to train its managers on the NYC Human Rights Law. 3-17736 (December 19, 2016), In the Matter of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, File No. The Commission negotiated a settlement including $30,900 in emotional distress damages to the Complainant, $6,600 in backpay, and $10,000 in civil penalties. Employment. The department also announced the April 28, 2020 settlement of the Title VII claims brought in its lawsuit on behalf of Houston firefighter Paula Keyes. Broker Pays $5,000 in Damages in Source of Income Discrimination CaseComplainant who alleged source of income discrimination based on her attempt to use a voucher brought a complaint against a broker and his employer. Services for the Underserved, Inc. Settles Complaint Alleging Discrimination on the Basis of Criminal Conviction History for $35,500 in Damages and PenaltiesComplainant, a prospective employee, filed a complaint against Services for the Underserved, Inc., a nonprofit agency providing services to individuals with disabilities, alleging that her job offer had been unlawfully rescinded after a required background check. 8 examples of employee retaliation claims that courts reject. Respondent quickly modified the application but disputed the reason for withdrawing the conditional offer of employment. Area. Alliance Building Services Pays $25,000 in Damages and Penalties for Violations of the Fair Chance ActA job applicant filed a complaint against of discrimination against Alliance Building Services alleging that Alliance Building Services unlawfully inquired into his criminal history prior to a conditional offer of employment and improperly denied him employment on the basis of his criminal history. Employer, 1199 SEIU Child Care Fund, Pays $31,500 in Damages and Civil Penalties To Resolve Gender-Based Harassment ClaimsComplainant, an employee of a labor union fund, filed a complaint alleging that her supervisor subjected her to a gender-based hostile work environment. Pays $10,000 and Agrees to Affirmative Relief in Fair Chance Act CaseA job applicant filed a complaint of discrimination against DB Grant Associates, Inc. alleging that Respondent, a workforce development company, circulated a job application that unlawfully inquired into his criminal history prior to a conditional offer of employment, and alleging that he was improperly denied employment on the basis of his criminal history. To resolve the case, Respondent agree to pay Complainant $11,000 in emotional distress damages; train its New York City employees on protections against gender discrimination under the New York City Human Rights Law; update its anti-discrimination policies; and post the Commissions Notice of Rights poster in all New York City places of business.