New York Paralegal Blog

In the second installment of our series on Affirmative Action, we shift our focus to the arguments underpinning its continued necessity. Proponents assert that the playing field is not yet level, and that systemic barriers and the long shadow of historical disadvantages continue to impede true equality of opportunity for racial minorities. This isn't about ignoring merit, but recognizing that merit is often stifled by deeply ingrained societal inequalities. The Unseen Hurdles: Systemic Barriers Imagine a race where some runners start with hurdles in their lanes while others have a clear path. This is the reality created by systemic barriers. These are not isolated incidents of prejudice, but rather institutionalized practices and policies that, while seemingly neutral on the surface, disproportionately disadvantage minority groups. One stark example lies in the use of credit reports in employment. For many, a credit score is a reflection of financial responsibility. However, due t...

New York - As federal allegations against music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs dominate headlines, it's worth revisiting past cases that highlight the grim realities of sex trafficking. The 2012 conviction of Nicholas Alvarez, a man from Queens, for similar crimes provides a stark, resolved example of the brutal exploitation that prosecutors are now aiming to prove in the high-profile Combs case. Nicholas Alvarez was found guilty in a White Plains federal court in 2012 following a two-week jury trial. The court found that between December 2010 and February 2011, Alvarez lured women with fraudulent promises of financial security and protection, only to force them into prostitution. His cruel reign involved transporting his victims across state lines, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. The methods employed by Alvarez were a horrific blend of physical and psychological abuse. According to evidence presented at his trial, he subje...

DETROIT—The Justice Department announced today that Veniamin Gonikman, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Ukraine, pleaded guilty in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, for crimes related to an international conspiracy to compel Eastern European women to work in exotic dance clubs in the Detroit metropolitan area. Gonikman, who became a fugitive in 2005, was apprehended in Ukraine in January 2011. He is the ninth and final member of the charged conspiracy to be convicted.

Brooklyn, July 7, 2011 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the sentencing of Justin Harris, 29, Glendon Jackson, 23, and DeShawn Owens, 26, for sexually assaulting three women and assaulting and robbing multiple victims during an August 2007 home invasion. Glendon Jackson was sentenced to 260 years in prison. Justin Harris was sentenced to 192 years in prison. DeShawn Owens was sentenced to 153 years in prison. Defendants Harris and Jackson were convicted on June 27. Owens was convicted by a separate jury on June 28. Harris was convicted on six counts of Robbery in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, five counts of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree, one count of Burglary in the First Degree and other charges. Jackson was convicted of two counts of Rape in the First Degree, six counts of Robbery in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one count of Criminal Sexual Act in the First De...

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it has sued the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC), the nation’s largest mortgage insurance company, and two of its underwriters, Elgina Cunningham and Kelly Kane, for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against women on paid maternity leave.     The suit, filed on July 5, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleges that MGIC required women on paid maternity leave to return to work before the company would insure their mortgages. Most mortgage lenders require applicants seeking to borrow more than 80 percent of their home’s value to obtain mortgage insurance, meaning MGIC’s denials to women on maternity leave could cost those women the opportunity to obtain a home loan.   “No woman should be denied the opportunity to receive a mortgage loan simply because she has just given birth,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General ...

NEW YORK , June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Music legend Chaka Khan joins the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL , not only as a main stage performer on Saturday, July 2 , but also to significantly impact the lives of 50 women, ages 18-35, from the greater New Orleans area.  Chaka Khan's The Chaka Khan Foundation in conjunction with the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies along with Senator Mary Landrieu , Congressman Cedric Richmond , Mayor Mitch Landrieu , and the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL will begin an in-depth life and community-altering transformation process for 50 women beginning June 4th .  The results-oriented program will provide a structured way for each woman to reach her goals; carried out with the help of community partners, agencies, and mentors. The year-long process will commence with one-on-one counseling and mentorships for each woman to map out her goals (e.g. continuing education, job development, securing housing, etc.) followed by a V...

MILWAUKEE – Chrysler Group, LLC will pay $60,000 under a consent decree resolving a retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) which was entered by the federal court in Milwaukee today. The EEOC sued Chrysler in December 2009 for unlawfully retaliating against two women after they opposed sex discrimination at Chrysler’s national parts distribution center in Milwaukee. (EEOC v. Chrysler Group, LLC, No. 08-C-1067 (E.D. Wis.). The events underlying this lawsuit, the EEOC said, began when Chrysler’s second-shift supervisor at the Milwaukee facility removed one of the women from the coveted position of driving a power sweeper and assigned her to gather parts in the “back order release” area. When this woman and a female coworker questioned why a male employee with less seniority was not assigned to the less desirable job of “picking” parts, the EEOC said, Chrysler’s plant manager accused each woman of disrupting the work force and threatened th...

WB News Release: [04/26/2010] Contact Name: Jennifer Kaplan or Treci Johnson Phone Number: (202)693-5052 or 4658 Release Number: 10-0553-NAT WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau will host a teleconference focusing on opportunities and resources available to help women succeed in green entrepreneurship. This program, which is open to the public and press, will be the second in a series of teleconferences designed to provide workforce practitioners an exchange of ideas on how to better connect women with green jobs training and employment. WHO: Speakers are as follows: * Sara Manzano-Díaz, director, Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor * Christine Koronides, program analyst, Office of Capital Access, U.S. S.B.A. * Julie Abrams, executive director, Women’s Initiative for Self Employment * Colleen Graber, project manager, Public Policy Associates Inc. * Rebecca Lundberg, chief executive officer, Powerfully Green * Laura Culin, president/chief ex...

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is comprised of several national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working in partnership to build breast cancer awareness, share information and provide access to screening services. NBCAM, and http://nbcam.org/ , are a year-round resource for patients, survivors, caregivers and the general public. Since its beginning more than 20 years ago, NBCAM has been dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection. NBCAM has evolved along with the national dialogue on breast cancer. Many strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, but even more still needs to be accomplished. We are focused on encouraging women to take charge of their own breast health, by practicing regular self-breast exams, making sure to schedule an annual mammogram, adhering to prescribed treatment and knowing the facts about recurrenc...