Wednesday, November 12, 2008

EEOC Obtains Unanimous $600K Federal Court Jury Verdict in Cleveland Against West-Side Private School.

On Monday, the EEOC announced that a unanimous jury rendered a $600,000 verdict against Lake Ridge Academy in favor of a male employee who claimed that he had been fired in retaliation for objecting to unequal pay for women. The Academy also agreed to pay another $350,000 in settlement before the jury rendered a verdict on punitive damages. According to the EEOC, the plaintiff “had been employed at the North Ridgeville, Ohio-based preparatory school as chair of an accreditation study and was fired after requesting information from Lake Ridge’s Head of Schools and the Chief Financial Officer regarding possible pay inequity when he noted that males were being paid more than females for similar education and work history.” After a full evidentiary trial, the “jury awarded back pay of $50,000, front pay of $50,000, and compensatory damages of $500,000.” There was nothing in the press release about the validity of the underlying pay discrimination concerns.


Insomniacs can read the full press release at http://www.eeoc.gov/press/11-10-08a.html.