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Recent case results and firm updates from Geoffrey Kalender, PC Employment Law
Jury Awards Over $1 Million in Pregnancy and Disability Discrimination Case
Geoffrey Kalender PC Secures Verdict for Employee Fired Eight Minutes After Requesting Pregnancy Accommodation
On February 2, 2026, a federal jury in the Eastern District of New York returned a verdict of over $1,050,000 in favor of our client, Jennifer Guerrero, in her employment discrimination case against Constellation Health Services, LLC and its related entities. The jury found that Constellation and its HR Director, Nicole Sturtz, violated federal and state anti-discrimination laws when they terminated Ms. Guerrero just eight minutes after she requested a workplace accommodation for her high-risk pregnancy.
The case, Guerrero v. Constellation Health Services, LLC, et al., No. 2:22-cv-07736 (E.D.N.Y.), was tried over five days before the Honorable Orelia E. Merchant. The jury found in Ms. Guerrero’s favor on six claims, including disability discrimination and failure to accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act, pregnancy discrimination under Title VII and the New York State Human Rights Law, retaliation under both federal statutes, and individual liability against the HR Director who made the termination decision.
The evidence at trial showed that Ms. Guerrero, who had been experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, contacted her employer’s HR department to discuss a possible accommodation. She was terminated before she finished making her request. The company never asked a single question about what she needed, never engaged in any interactive process, and never considered whether an accommodation was possible. The entire sequence — from accommodation request to termination — took eight minutes.
The jury’s verdict included compensatory damages for back pay and emotional distress, as well as punitive damages under the ADA, Title VII, and the New York State Human Rights Law. The punitive damages reflected the jury’s finding that Constellation’s conduct was willful and in reckless disregard of Ms. Guerrero’s rights.
Constellation Health Services employs approximately 900 people across eleven states. Ms. Sturtz, the HR Director who was found personally liable for aiding and abetting the discrimination, participated directly in the decision to terminate Ms. Guerrero.
Geoffrey Kalender PC represented Ms. Guerrero at trial alongside co-counsel Matthew Weiser of Lacuna Law. The firm concentrates its practice in employment discrimination litigation and is committed to holding employers accountable when they violate the rights of working people.
Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Geoffrey Kalender, PC Secures Over $200,000 for Construction Worker in Prevailing Wage Settlement
Geoffrey Kalender, PC Employment Law recently obtained a settlement exceeding $200,000 on behalf of a construction worker who was systematically underpaid on a publicly funded project in New York City. The case was resolved in approximately five months from filing through a court-supervised settlement process in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, delivering a swift and substantial result for the client.
The case involved claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the New York Labor Law, and applicable prevailing wage requirements. The worker, employed on a public construction project, was paid significantly less than the wages and supplemental benefits required by law. Through a detailed investigation of payroll records, tax filings, and project documentation, the firm established that the employer had failed to pay the prevailing wage rates mandated for publicly funded work — a practice that cost the worker tens of thousands of dollars in earned compensation.
“It is particularly despicable when employers abuse the trust employees necessarily put in them and steal wages from their own workers. Employers who look their own employee in the face every day, controlling their comings and goings while simultaneously defrauding them should be held accountable, and their behavior deserves maximum deterrence.” — Geoffrey Kalender, Principal
The settlement recovered unpaid wages, liquidated damages, and statutory penalties. Attorney’s fees and costs were approved separately by the court as part of the settlement process.
Geoffrey Kalender, PC Employment Law represents workers in wage theft, employee misclassification, and prevailing wage cases throughout New York. The firm focuses on recovering unpaid compensation for employees in the construction industry and other sectors where labor law violations are common. If you believe you have been underpaid or denied benefits owed to you by law, contact Geoffrey Kalender, PC for a confidential consultation.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.
Geoffrey Kalender, PC Secures $165,000 Settlement for Employee Terminated After Discussing Wages
Geoffrey Kalender, PC recently obtained a settlement of $165,000 on behalf of a pharmaceutical industry employee who was terminated shortly after discussing wages with a coworker and informing management that prohibiting such discussions violates federal and state law. The matter was resolved prior to litigation through a pre-suit settlement process, delivering a swift and favorable result for the client.
The case involved claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, the New York State Human Rights Law, and multiple provisions of the New York Labor Law, including Section 194-A, which expressly protects employees’ right to discuss compensation. After the client shared wage information with a colleague, a member of management confronted him, stated that discussing pay was prohibited, and disclosed that the company had recently held meetings with human resources on the subject. Within one week of that confrontation, the client was terminated under the pretext of performance issues — despite having no prior disciplinary history and maintaining performance metrics that exceeded company standards.
“Employees have a clear legal right to discuss their pay with coworkers, and that right is protected under both federal and New York law. When an employer retaliates against a worker for exercising that right and then fabricates a performance-based justification, the law provides powerful remedies — and we will pursue them aggressively.” — Geoffrey Kalender, Principal
The settlement recovered damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and related losses. The client had secured comparable employment shortly after termination, and the recovery reflected the strength of the retaliation claims and the employer’s significant litigation exposure, including individual liability for the managers involved.
Geoffrey Kalender, PC represents employees in retaliation, wrongful termination, wage discussion, and discrimination cases throughout New York. The firm focuses on holding employers accountable when they punish workers for exercising their legal rights. If you believe you have been disciplined or terminated for discussing pay, reporting illegal workplace policies, or opposing discrimination, contact Geoffrey Kalender, PC for a confidential consultation.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.
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