After nearly a decade of litigation, in Godrey v. State of Iowa et al, Case No. 19-1954 (June 30, 2021), the Iowa Supreme Court reversed a jury verdict granting $1.5 million in damages and $3.1 million in attorneys’ fees to the former Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner, based on his allegation that the Governor of
jury verdict
Scientist Awarded $3M by Pennsylvania Jury in Gender Discrimination Suit
A federal jury recently awarded a female scientist $3 million for her gender discrimination claims against PPG Industries, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Half of the award was for emotional distress damages.
In the case, Carol Knox worked for PPG for 23 years and was a Project Manager in the research and development group, where…
No Horseplay Here: Jury Awards Employee $2.4 Million in Damages for Sex Discrimination
A company’s potential monetary liability for workplace discrimination can be crippling. A jury in the U.S. District for the Northern District of Illinois had awarded a male grocery store butcher $2.4 million in compensatory and punitive damages on his claim of sexual harassment against a small grocery store located in the south side of Chicago.…
How to Minimize Exposure to Jury Verdicts with Internal Investigations
It is more important than ever that employers conduct internal investigations of workplace complaints and take appropriate action when there is cause to do so. Proper investigations and thorough pre-litigation assessments can help employers minimize exposure to unfavorable jury verdicts and awards.
A case from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New…
Massachusetts Jury Returns Unprecedented $28 Million Verdict for Retaliation Claim
A Suffolk County jury recently awarded a Haitian–American nurse an unprecedented $28.2 million in total damages on her claim of retaliation against Brigham & Women’s Hospital, her former employer. At the same time, the jury rejected the nurse’s claim of race discrimination.
This verdict serves to emphasize what most employment litigators know from experience: juries…
Restaurant Chain’s Spoiled Internal Investigation Leads to $8M Jury Award for Fired Employee
A Fresno, California jury has awarded nearly $8 million to former Chipotle employee Jeanette Ortiz on her claim of wrongful discharge.
The jury found Chipotle had fired Ortiz in retaliation for her filing a worker’s compensation claim of carpal tunnel syndrome. It also found Chipotle falsely accused Ortiz of stealing money to disguise the unlawful…
Jury Enters Sexual Harassment Verdict in Favor of Plaintiff; Awards No Damages
A jury in the Northern District of Georgia recently entered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff in a sexual harassment case, yet awarded her no damages.
In Furcron v. Mail Centers Plus, LLC, a former mailroom clerk, Myra Furcron, sued her former employer, Mail Centers Plus, LLC, for sexual harassment as a result…