Discrimination Law News, Civil Rights Law Information NYC

Educating restaurants about harassment

The Long Island chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association plans to consult with a well-known Garden City civil rights lawyer early next month over ways to educate restaurant staff and managers about sexual harassment in the workplace.

It’s all the result of the sexual harassment allegations that have been hurled against Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain, who is accused of improper behavior toward women when he was chief executive of the National Restaurant Association a decade ago. Cain has denied all of the allegations against him.

Long Islanders hold MLK tribute ahead of DC dedication

By: News 12 Long Island (10/14/11) HEMPSTEAD Long Islanders held a special tribute in Hempstead today ahead of Sunday’s official National Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication in Washington, D.C. The major theme of the gathering at the Antioch Baptist Church of Hempstead was Dr. King’s dream and whether it’s been realized on the Island andFull Article >

Photo credit: Howard Schnapp | From left, Gabrielle D'Annunzio stands with her sisters, Ashley and Lauren, in Mineola as they discuss the lawsuit they have filed against Ayhan's Fish Kebab in Port Washington. (July 13, 2011)

3 sisters allege harassment at restaurant – Newsday

Three sisters from Port Washington charged Wednesday that they had been sexually harassed continually while working as teenagers at a Port Washington restaurant. The three — Ashley, Gabrielle and Lauren D’Annunzio, who are now in their early 20s — made the assertions in announcing the filing of a civil suit in federal court in Central Islip. They areFull Article >

“Civil rights law is their passion” – Newsday

As most lawyers know, civil rights cases are not where the real money is in the legal profession. But one Long Island law firm has barreled into discrimination cases in the South in the past few years, citing a passion for such work. “We do the old-fashioned civil rights work,” saidJames Vagnini, one of the threeFull Article >

Photo credit: Sally Morrow | Police officer Debbie Zagaja is filing a suit against Freeport. (Aug. 11, 2010)

Freeport deputy police chief sues village over demotion

A Freeport police official demoted this year from the department’s No. 3 post sued the village Wednesday, claiming village officials discriminated against her because she is a white female. The lawsuit, filed in Central Islip federal court, said 24-year veteran Debbie Zagaja was passed over for promotion and demoted from deputy chief to lieutenant in March becauseFull Article >

Hundreds rally against local oil company accused of racial discrimination

HOUSTON — Rev. Peter Johnson and civil rights activist Sara Kane joined hundreds of African American workers and local residents Monday in a rally against a company they say is doing nothing to prevent racial harassment of minority workers. The protest was held in front of the Mickey Leland Federal Office Building on 1919 SmithFull Article >

Turner Industries to face lawsuit for discrimination

BATON ROUGE, La (NBC33) – Civil rights leaders announced today that Baton Rouge-based Turner Industries is being sued for discrimination by several of its employees. Turner Industries released a statement denying any discriminatory actions, but one employee tells a much different story. “All the years of frustration and pain that I went through,” Yvonne Turner,Full Article >

Workers sue Baton Rouge company for discrimination

By Tyana Williams – bio | email BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – O ver 200 African-American employees at Turner Industries in Baton Rouge say for years, they’ve been discriminated against and harassed while on the job. According to lawyers for the employees, documents show last March, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found Turner Industries violatedFull Article >

Houston activists condemn services firm

Officials at Turner Industries deny racial bias By LINDSAY WISE HOUSTON CHRONICLE Jan. 31, 2011, 8:05PM Several dozen activists rallied outside the Mickey Leland Federal Building in Houston on Monday to protest Turner Industries Group of Baton Rouge, a privately owned industrial services company that faces allegations of racial discrimination, retaliation and a hostile workFull Article >

NAACP Launches Investigation

Black workers sue Turner Industries over harassment By SKIP DESCANT Advocate business writer Published: Feb 2, 2011 – Page: 1B Current, former and potential employees of Turner Industries alleging racial discrimination are seeking salary compensation, court costs and an overhaul of company policies to discourage workplace harassment, according to a federal discrimination lawsuit filed inFull Article >