BEZEK v. NBC UNIVERSAL NBC (2019)

SUMMARY ORDER

Paola Bezek appeals from a judgment of the District Court (Hall, C.J.) granting motions filed by NBC Universal and NBC Sports Group (collectively “NBC”) to compel arbitration and to confirm a final arbitration award, and denying Bezek’s motions to vacate the arbitral award and to amend her complaint. Bezek, through counsel, filed a complaint with the Connecticut Human Rights Office and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that NBC discriminated against her on the basis of sex and her status as a victim of domestic violence and also retaliated against her. After her counsel initiated arbitration proceedings, Bezek, then proceeding pro se, refused to continue with arbitration and filed a complaint in the District Court making the same allegations of discrimination under federal and Connecticut law. We assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts and the record of prior proceedings, to which we refer only as necessary to explain our decision to affirm.

Upon careful review of the record on appeal, including the District Court’s factual findings and legal conclusions, we affirm the judgment substantially for the reasons stated by the District Court in its thorough May 23, 2018 opinion.¹ See Certain Underwriting Members of Lloyds of London v. Fla., Dep’t of Fin. Servs., 892 F.3d 501, 505–07 (2d Cir. 2018).

We have considered Bezek’s arguments and conclude that they are without merit. For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the District Court is AFFIRMED.

FOOTNOTES

1.   Bezek does not purport to sue on behalf of a class and does not argue that individual Title VII claims cannot be subject to mandatory arbitration. See Parisi v. Goldman, Sachs & Co., 710 F.3d 483, 487–88 (2d Cir. 2013).