More Million Dollar Verdicts - Discrimination in Wisc - Retaliation in Pa

Failing to ask whether a female manager would want a transfer because the company didn't think she would want to move since she had children, and testimony that she wouldn't have been suited for the job because she would have to deal with 'rude men', was a costly mistake according to a Madison, Wisconsin jury. You can read about Tracy Lust's successful claim here. And how much actual out of pocket loss did it take to get to this award? $1,500 in back pay. The rest was $100,000 in mental anguish and $1,000,000 in punitive damages. The Sealy Corp. won't have to pay this much because of the damage caps under Title VII, even if it decides not to appeal.


And in Philadelphia another federal jury was awarding a 17 year Federal Express manager, Kathleen Talbot-Lima, $2.3 million. Talbot-Lima claimed she was fired in retaliation for helping a female truck driver file a sexual harassment claim. FedEx claiming she was fired for 'failure of leadership' says it will appeal. An earlier trial ended in a hung jury. You can read the AP story here.