Robert G. Schacht

Robert Schacht is Of Counsel to Phillips & Associates and serves as special Trial Counsel. He is is a skillful, experienced trial attorney who graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1999. He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and he is also admitted to practice in the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of New York. He is also admitted to practice in the District of New Jersey. He works exclusively as a plaintiff’s attorney.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Schacht has tried many cases in Bronx, Queens, King’s, Richmond, New York, Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, and Rockland Counties. In addition to trying employment matters, he has also taken to trial many catastrophic workplace injury lawsuits. These have included lawsuits arising out of crane collapses, helicopter accidents, defective products, construction site accidents, and motor vehicle collisions.

Most notably, Mr. Schacht tried the longest jury trial in New York State, which was an 11-month trial. He obtained the largest jury verdict in New York State history, a $96 million verdict.

Mr. Schacht is closely familiar with the laws that prohibit an employer from discriminating against an employee. One form of discrimination is sexual harassment, which is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law.

Sexual harassment can be perpetrated by coworkers, supervisors, managers, or customers. Although we often associate sexual harassment with the treatment of female subordinates by male authority figures in the workplace, perpetrators and victims can be of either sex, and they can also be of the same sex as each other. Harassment can consist of conduct or words that are demeaning or degrading, as well as memes, visual graphics, slurs, touching, groping, or even sexual assault.

Each of the three employment laws that apply to sexual harassment in the workplace has different nuances. It is important to work with a skillful attorney who understands those nuances and can decide how to pursue remedies based on the specific facts of your situation. Title VII only applies to employers that have a minimum of 15 employees. It caps damages based on the number of employees that the employer has. The sexual harassment provision of the New York State Human Rights Law, on the other hand, applies to all employers in New York, no matter their size. However, you cannot recover punitive damages for sexual harassment under state law. For many claimants, the New York City Human Rights Law is a good fit. There are no caps on damages. Previously, under the city law, employers with fewer than four employees were not covered. As of May 9, 2018, however, the Stop Sexual Harassment in New York City Act expanded coverage of sexual and gender-based harassment claims to all employees in the city, irrespective of the employer’s size.

Mr. Schacht also has brought many lawsuits based on sexual battery, rape, or sexual assault. The appropriate theory depends on the situation. Battery is not only a crime but also a civil tort. It may be possible to recover damages for rape, sexual battery, or sexual assault even if a prosecutor was unable to secure a criminal conviction of the perpetrator. The burden of proof is lower in civil court than in criminal court. If you have been assaulted and need to obtain therapy or medical care, the financial compensation from a civil lawsuit can be used to help cover medical bills, relocation, and even lost wages.

Employers wield substantial power over their employees. It can be very stressful to go up against a business that has chosen to discriminate against you or look the other way while you are being harassed. If you have been mistreated at your workplace, it is important to retain a knowledgeable and experienced attorney to guide you through the process of either filing a charge or suing in court.

If you have been harmed by sexual harassment or other forms of discrimination, our top rated employment attorneys are ready to assist you with pursuing damages. Call Phillips & Associates at (866) 229-9441 or contact us through our online form. We handle employment litigation throughout New York City and Westchester County, as well as on Long Island and in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.