Friedman v Bloomberg, L.P.

What the court decided

Under the City Human Rights Law, an employer's awareness of an employee's disability "triggered a duty to engage plaintiff 'in a good faith interactive process to assess [her] needs' and potential accommodations, 'even in the absence of a specific request.'" The employee had repeatedly told her supervisors that her dyslexia made writing social media copy difficult, and there were fact questions about whether the employer actually considered a proofreader. Her firing two days after a written accommodation request also went to a jury, even though there was evidence the decision had already been made, because a supervisor tied it in part to her "mandate around [her] responsibilities."

Who won

The employee won this round. The Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the denial of the employer's motion for summary judgment.

Why it matters for workers with a medical condition

In New York City you may not need to make a formal request. Telling your supervisors, clearly and more than once, how your condition affects your work can be enough to require the employer to start the conversation.

Key passage: 230 A.D.3d at 1061.

We do not host a copy of this decision. The full text is available free from New York State Law Reporting Bureau (official slip opinion).

This page summarizes the decision in plain language.