Damages in Employment Cases

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In Emamian v. Rockefeller University, 07-cv-3919, 2018 WL 2849700 (S.D.N.Y. June 8, 2018) – a race/national origin discrimination case – the court held, inter alia, that the jury’s emotional distress damages award of $2 million was excessive, and remitted that award to $200,000. After providing a summary of the relevant “black-letter” law in this area, the…

Read More Court Remits Emotional Distress Damages Award in Employment Discrimination Case From $2M to $200K
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A federal (EDNY / Brooklyn) jury recently awarded several employees a collective $5.1 million in damages against a health insurance company that, the plaintiffs claimed, forced them to follow the practices of an obscure religion called “Onionhead.” (I wrote about the lawsuit’s filing here.) The verdict sheet (below) reflects, inter alia, that the jury awarded…

Read More EDNY Jury Awards $5.1M in “Onionhead” Religious Discrimination Case [EEOC v. United Health Programs of America]
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In Chauca v. Abraham, 2018 WL 1352351 (2d Cir. March 16, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the district court erred in declining to submit the question of punitive damages to the jury under the New York City Human Rights Law. In a prior opinion,[1]Chauca v. Abraham, 841 F.3d…

Read More 2d Circuit: Lower Court Mistakenly Applied Higher Standard for Punitive Damages Under the NYC Human Rights Law
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In Sharkey v. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., 2018 WL 1229831 (S.D.N.Y. March 5, 2018), the court, inter alia, struck down a jury verdict of $563,000 for emotional distress suffered by plaintiff as a result of her alleged retaliatory termination in violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). From the Opinion: If Sharkey is…

Read More Court Strikes Down $563K Emotional Distress Damages Jury Verdict in SOX Case as “Infected With Passion and Prejudice”
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In Chauca v. Abraham, 2017 NY Slip Op 08158, 2017 WL 5557932 (N.Y. Nov. 20, 2017), the New York Court of Appeals – answered a certified question from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit – regarding the appropriate standard applicable for when punitive damages may be awarded under the New York City Human…

Read More New York’s Highest Court Clarifies Standard for Punitive Damages Under the New York City Human Rights Law
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In Santana et al v. G.E.M. Medical Management (NY Sup. Ct. Bx. Cty 0305261/2008 Oct. 20, 2017), the court (inter alia) denied defendant’s motion, under CPLR 4404(a), to set aside a jury verdict in favor of plaintiffs on their claims of gender/pregnancy discrimination. The court noted that “[t]he jury’s determination is supported by evidence presented…

Read More Court Upholds Plaintiff Jury Verdict in Gender/Pregnancy Discrimination Case
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In Legg v. Ulster County, et al, 2017 WL 3668777 (N.D.N.Y. 09-cv-00550 Aug. 24, 2017) (J. Scullin), the court – after upholding a jury verdict in plaintiff’s favor on her Title VII hostile work environment/sexual harassment claim[1]I discussed this aspect of the case here. – held that the damages awarded by the jury to compensate…

Read More Court Remits $200K Emotional Distress Damage Award to $75K in Hostile Work Environment/Sexual Harassment Case
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In Legg v. Ulster County, et al, 2017 WL 3668777 (N.D.N.Y. 09-cv-00550, Aug. 24, 2017) (J. Scullin), the Northern District of New York, inter alia, upheld a jury verdict in favor of one plaintiff (a female corrections officer) on her hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[1]The court also…

Read More NDNY Upholds Sexual Harassment/Hostile Work Environment Jury Verdict for Plaintiff Corrections Officer
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In Matter of NYS Div. of Human Rights v. SUV Prod., Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 02910 (NY App. Div. 1st Dept. April 13, 2017), the court unanimously confirmed the findings of the New York State Division of Human Rights’ (DHR) December 19, 2008 Order concluding that respondent subjected complainants to discrimination and a hostile work environment based…

Read More Court Upholds NYSDHR Finding of National Origin Discrimination & Hostile Work Environment and Resulting Damages
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In Fisher v. Mermaid Manor Home for Adults, LLC, No. 1:14-CV-03461-WFK-JO, 2016 WL 7330554 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 16, 2016), the court upheld a jury verdict for an African American plaintiff on her employment discrimination claims. This employment discrimination case, asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the NYC Human Rights Law, “began…

Read More Court Upholds Jury Verdict in “Instagram Planet of the Apes” National Origin Discrimination Lawsuit
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