After an eight-week trial, a LA jury awarded two men alleging repeated sexual and racial harassment against Southern California Edison $440 million in punitive damages. Jurors also awarded the two men $24.6 million in compensatory damages totaling a verdict over $464.6 million.
One of the Plaintiffs was pushed out of his supervisor job at Edison after 16 years due to “constructive termination — a claim accusing the employer of creating or permitting intolerable working conditions in order to force out a worker” after he reported racist language and sexual harassment.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers presented evidence during the trial that showed Edison’s South Bay Office had a “fraternity-like” culture where sexual and racial harassment was not only common, but even “swept under the rug.”
The $22.37 million in compensatory damages awarded to one of the Plaintiffs is believed to be one of the largest awards for a Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) case in the history of California.
One of Plaintiffs’ lawyers, David deRubertis, said in a statement, “These two men had the courage to stand up and report the harassment…SCE’s and Edison’s response was to pretend the problem was limited to a handful of bad actors, ignoring the culture of tolerance for harassment and discrimination that was bred in the South Bay office.”
This case is an example of the ongoing retaliation and harassment that needs to end in work environments where “fraternity-like” culture tries to silence those that are brave enough to speak up against it.
