Scary Halloween Story to Employers: Retaliation Case Award of $5.5M
In a wake-up call to employers in California who haven’t yet familiarized themselves with the legal requirements concerning discrimination complaints, a federal jury in San Francisco has awarded $5.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the plaintiff in a retaliation case.
Kiran Pande, a former Chevron Corp. engineer, had been with the company for 15 years before she was fired in 2003. She contended she was retaliated against by the company, after several promotions and job transfers, when she complained of harassment and discrimination in 2001 by her new supervisor, Rex Mitchell, who is now Chevron’s chief compliance officer, reports East Bay Business Times.
The jury apparently agreed with her overall view of the situation, including her claim that she was wrongfully terminated. It awarded her $3 million in compensatory and $2.5 million in punitive damages, following a three-week trial. However, it rejected her contention that Chevron had interfered with her right to medical leave.
A consultant representing Chevron says in an e-mailed statement that the company is “disappointed with today’s verdict and are focusing on post trial motions and a possible appeal.” The communication attributed Pande’s departure from Chevron to her “decision not to move to Houston with her department as part of a corporate restructuring.” This claimed voluntary choice on her part “led to her eventual severance,” it contends. The e-mail also praised Chevron’s human resources and community practices and says the company is a good place for women to work. “Earlier this year, the Women’s Business Enterprise Council named Chevron one of the top US corporations providing growth opportunities to women,” it states.
(Hat tip: Jottings By An Employer’s Lawyer.)
