Walker v. Metro North Commuter Railroad

Background

The parties had consented to proceed before the magistrate judge for all purposes. Metro-North reported that the parties had completed fact discovery except for two issues.

First, Metro-North sought Walker’s consent to release documents and information concerning his contact with Metro-North’s Employee Assistance Program. Walker stated that he had contacted the program as early as 2006. Metro-North agreed to limit the requested release to contacts occurring on or after April 19, 2017, the period covered by Walker’s allegations in this case. Walker continued to object to signing the revised release. Metro-North therefore requested a discovery conference under the court’s procedure for resolving discovery disputes.

Second, Metro-North requested a brief extension of the fact-discovery deadline, which was then set for August 29, 2025. The extension would allow Metro-North to produce an expected arbitration decision concerning Walker’s appeal of February 2022 disciplinary charges. Metro-North said the decision was relevant to Walker’s Title VII challenge to that discipline. Walker did not object to the extension.

Ruling

Judge Gary Stein granted the request to extend the fact-discovery deadline and extended it to September 26, 2025. He also granted Defendant’s request for a discovery conference concerning the dispute over Walker’s contact with Metro-North’s Employee Assistance Program. The conference was scheduled for September 5, 2025, and the court stated that a scheduling order would follow.