If you’ve been punished at work for taking—or even just requesting—paternity or maternity leave, you should know that what happened to you may be illegal. A recent decision from a Brooklyn court demonstrates how New York law protects workers who are caregivers or new parents from unequal treatment in the workplace.
In Naulla v. WrkArt Studios, No. 518241/2024, 2025 WL 1884194 (N.Y. Sup Ct, Kings County July 03, 2025), the male plaintiff told his employer in early September 2023 that he planned to take paid family leave from his position as a Property Manager and Facilities Director to care for his newborn. Approximately a month later, he formally submitted his leave paperwork. The very same day he submitted his paperwork, the company’s owner told him he would have to keep working during his paternity leave, something not required for female employees. A few hours later, the same owner informed him he had been replaced and was fired. After plaintiff sued the defendants moved to dismiss his lawsuit, arguing that the plaintiff had failed to adequately allege a claim.
The court ruled that these facts were enough to support a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit under both the New York State and New York City Human Rights Laws. The judge found that the employee had plausibly alleged he was a member of protected caregiver and gender classes, had performed his job well, and was fired shortly after asserting his rights to leave. The fact that he was told directly he had to work during his leave provided further support for his discrimination claims.
The court also allowed retaliation claims to move forward, finding it plausible that the termination was directly connected to his request for paternity leave. It didn’t matter that the employer gave no official reason for plaintiff’s termination—the timing, the unequal treatment, and the demand that he work through his leave were enough for the case to proceed.
If something like this has happened to you—if you’ve been forced to work while on family leave, let go soon after requesting leave, or otherwise punished for your leave requests—it’s worth speaking to an attorney. New York law protects both mothers and fathers, and it prohibits employers from using gender or caregiver status to justify unfair treatment. If you were treated worse than your coworkers because you took leave, or if your boss used your role as a caregiver against you, you may have a strong legal claim.