Dr. Ayman Attia and New York Internal Medicine, P.C. were ordered to Pay more than $55,000 for Sexual Harassment

Employment Attorney Raymond Nardo filed a claim of sexual harassment, on behalf of one of his employees, against Dr. Ayman Attia and New York Internal Medicine, P.C.  At the time of the hearing, Dr. Ayman Attia, or Dr. Ayman Attia-Alla, had two Queens offices, in Astoria and Whitestone, both of which operated under New York Internal Medicine, P.C.  He is also a clinical instructor at Brown Medical School.

New York Internal Medicine, P.C. is currently located at 28-10 Steinway St, Queens, NY 11103 and 17-52 Francis Lewis Blvd, Whitestone, NY 11357. New York Internal Medicine, P.C. describes itself as, "is a dynamic multi-specialty practice where you get all of your medical needs addressed and treated in One location."

The New York State Division of Human Rights investigated the claim of sexual harassment and found “probable cause existed to believe that” New York Internal Medicine, P.C. and Dr. Ayman Attia engaged in sexual harassment and discrimination.  After a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) on July 15 and July 16, 2019, during which Dr. Ayman Attia testified, the Administrative Law Judge ruled that he  sexually harassed a female employee, and required Dr. Ayman Attia and New York Internal Medicine, P.C.  to pay damages to the employee, her attorney, and the New York State Division of Human Rights.   After New York Internal Medicine, P.C. and Dr. Ayman Attia filed written objections, the Commissioner of the NYSDHR issued a Notice and Final Order requiring them to pay more than $55,000 .

According to the findings of the ALJ, adopted by the Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights, Doctor Ayman Attia repeatedly hugged Complainant. He “’let his hands scroll down [her] back to could feel [her] butt. This happened so many times.’”

Another employee saw Dr. Ayman Attia hug Complainant “real tight and she turned red and uncomfortable.”

Dr. Attia “joked about adding a stripper pole in the basement” and asked if an interviewee was “pretty enough for the practice.”

Dr.  Attia also sent a text to Complainant stating, “I appreciate you and Bruna a lot and will do the best I can to make you happy.” 

Dr.  Attia texted this Complainant referring to her as “my wife” and asked “are you cheating on me?”

Another employee texted Complainant that Dr. Ayman Attia was “always looking at [her] ass,” and that “he made comments about her breasts.”

After being subject to cross-examination by Attorney Nardo, the Administrative Law Judge ruled that Complainant “has shown that she was subjected to sexual harassment based upon a hostile work environment. Attia subjected her to unwelcome hugs and physically touched her repeatedly.”   The Administrative Law Judge also found that “Attia’s behavior was witnessed by Complainant’s co-worker,” and that “[s]uch behavior is objectively offensive and had the effect of altering Complainant’s work environment.” The ALJ found that Complainant “established that she was the victim of a sexually hostile work environment.”  He also found that Dr. Ayman Attia “hugged, grabbed, and touched Complainant” and “made offensive comments and sent offensive texts,"   told Complainant that she “did not work in a medical office ‘because [her] butt was too huge’ and that she ‘should work in a bar," and that he  “grabbed and rubbed Complainant’s leg and called her ‘my friend’ and ‘honey bunny.’”

New York Internal Medicine, P.C. and Dr. Ayman Attia were ordered to pay $20,000 to Complainant “for her mental anguish” (P. 9).  New York Internal Medicine, P.C. and Dr. Ayman Attia were ordered to pay $15,620 in counsel fees and costs to Complainant’s attorney, Raymond Nardo, Esq.  New York Internal Medicine, P.C.and Dr. Ayman Attia were also ordered to pay a civil fine of $20,000 to the New York State Division of Human Rights.  These findings were later upheld by the Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights.

Dr. Ayman Attia and New York Internal Medicine, P.C. were found liable for more than $55,000 for sexually harassing a female employee.

The case, litigated by Employment Attorney Raymond Nardo, is more fully described HERE.