CUNY Faces Putative Class Action Over Disability Accommodation Denials

Lawsuit alleges continued pattern of remote work denials, retaliation, and leave violations across multiple CUNY campuses

Mar. 31, 2026 at 12:15pm

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A group of current and former CUNY faculty and staff have filed a putative class action lawsuit against the City University of New York, alleging a systemic pattern of denying disability-based requests for remote work, retaliating against employees who requested accommodations, and improperly handling leave requests. The lawsuit follows a previous case, Ramjerdi v. The City of New York, which challenged similar practices at one CUNY campus.

Why it matters

The case highlights ongoing concerns about how CUNY, a major public university system, handles disability accommodations and leave policies for its employees. The allegations suggest a broader, institutional problem that goes beyond isolated incidents, raising questions about CUNY's compliance with federal and state disability laws.

The details

The lawsuit, Levine v. CUNY, was filed by five plaintiffs representing a proposed class of CUNY faculty and staff from multiple campuses, including Queensborough Community College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Kingsborough Community College, Hostos Community College, and New York City College of Technology. The complaint alleges that CUNY maintained a 'one-size-fits-all in-person mandate' that functioned as a presumptive bar to fully remote disability accommodations, retaliated against employees who requested such accommodations, and improperly denied or restricted FMLA leave related to accommodation requests.

  • The lawsuit was filed on March 29, 2026.
  • The previous Ramjerdi v. The City of New York case was filed earlier.

The players

Robin Levine

One of the named plaintiffs in the Levine v. CUNY lawsuit, representing current and former CUNY faculty and staff.

Noreen Mulvanerty

One of the named plaintiffs in the Levine v. CUNY lawsuit, representing current and former CUNY faculty and staff.

The City University of New York (CUNY)

The defendant in the Levine v. CUNY lawsuit, a public university system in New York City.

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez

The Chancellor of The City University of New York, named as a defendant in the lawsuit in his official capacity.

Cyrus E. Dugger

An attorney at The Dugger Law Firm, PLLC, which is representing the plaintiffs in the Levine v. CUNY lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“According to the complaint, the accommodation, leave, and retaliation practices first challenged in Ramjerdi v. The City of New York were not confined to one professor or one campus.”

— Cyrus E. Dugger, Attorney, The Dugger Law Firm, PLLC

“The complaint further alleges that similar basic practices continued across additional campuses, additional employees, and job categories.”

— Cyrus E. Dugger, Attorney, The Dugger Law Firm, PLLC

What’s next

The judge will decide on whether to grant class certification for the lawsuit.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing concerns about how major public institutions like CUNY handle disability accommodations and leave policies for their employees, raising questions about compliance with federal and state laws.