Court Ruling — E.D.N.Y, 2025 #10711308

**Court Rules Against Worker in Civil Rights Case** A worker sued Asian Family Market and its security officer, claiming their actions violated their constitutional civil rights under Section 1983, a federal law that protects people from government violations of their rights. The worker also claimed wrongful termination from their job. The court ruled entirely in favor of the employer and security officer, dismissing the civil rights claims. The judge found that because the security officer and store manager were private employees—not government workers or police officers—they were not "acting under color of state law." This means they weren't acting with government authority, which is required to bring a Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit. Without meeting this requirement, the worker's constitutional claims could not proceed. **What This Means for Workers:** This case shows that workers cannot use Section 1983 civil rights laws against private employers or their security staff, even if they believe their rights were violated. These federal protections only apply when government employees or those acting with government authority are involved. Workers dealing with private employer misconduct must rely on other employment laws, such as discrimination statutes, wrongful termination laws, or workplace safety regulations, rather than constitutional civil rights claims.