How Does the Court Calculate Damages in Sexual Harassment Lawsuits Against Your Employer?
One might argue that workplace sexual harassment is ubiquitous in some occupations. Especially in Los Angeles, an entire city built on sex appeal, comments about one’s physical appearance or romantic relationships, the sorts of comments that would be egregiously rude and unprofessional at any workplace in a landlocked state or one with a temperate climate, are met with a shrug. Employees smile or snark through the inappropriate remarks by their coworkers and collect their paychecks until they can find a better job, preferably one back east. The sexual harassment that forms the basis of employment discrimination lawsuits, however, is worse than anyone could reasonably be expected to ignore at work. Sometimes, it is bullying for the purpose of intimidating an employee into quitting his or her job, and at worse, the conduct meets the definition of a criminal offense. Employees who wish to sue their employers for harassment based on sex or any other protected characteristic must first file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or California Rights Department. If you prevail in your lawsuit, the court will award you damages for the financial losses you incurred because of the harassment, and in some cases, you can also get noneconomic damages, such as for emotional distress. If you have suffered sexual harassment at work, contact a Los Angeles discrimination and harassment lawyer.
Plaintiff Worked for Employer for Less Than a Year, but CEO’s Behavior Was Horrendous Enough to Warrant $8 Million in Damages
The plaintiff in a recent employment discrimination lawsuit worked as a production assistant for a production company for nine months in 2014 and 2015. Throughout the time working there, the CEO of the company harassed her relentlessly. The forced intimate touching was not even the worst part. Multiple times each weak, the CEO entered the plaintiff’s work cubicle uninvited and simulated sex acts with her by grabbing her, all within view and within earshot of other coworkers. On one occasion, he also forced her to watch a pornographic video that would have been disturbing even if one were to watch it at home out of curiosity, as opposed to being forced to watch it at work.
The jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff, awarding her $40,000 in past lost income, $80,000 in future lost income, and $130,000 in other economic damages. Meanwhile, the jury also awarded $8 million in noneconomic damages for the plaintiff’s emotional distress. Multimillion dollar awards for emotional distress in workplace sexual harassment cases are the exception, not the rule. Most cases settle without going to trial, so it is not up to the judge to decide the amount of compensation.
Speak With a Los Angeles Employment Discrimination Lawyer
A Los Angeles employment discrimination and retaliation lawyer can represent you in employment discrimination cases that warrant noneconomic damages. Contact Litigation, P.C. in Redondo Beach, California, to discuss your situation or call (424) 284-2401.
