Back pay awarded in Title VII case, parties settle compensatories – $28,321 Verdict, $55,000 Settlement

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A female deputy at a state correctional center made protected complaints regarding her immediate supervisor’s unwanted sexual advances. The deputy was then terminated after management alleged she had abandoned her post. At trial, the plaintiff argued that her termination was a pretext to discrimination and retaliation because she was sick at the time and did not abandon her post.

The lawsuit was filed on Nov. 15, 2013. A jury trial returned a verdict for the plaintiff on Nov. 23, 2014, as to the count of Title VII retaliation. The court awarded the plaintiff attorneys’ fees and costs on May 19, 2015.

[15-T-075]

Type of action: Employment – Title VII gender discrimination and retaliation
Injuries alleged: Lost wages due to termination and compensatory damages
Name of case: Reed v. Commonwealth, Department of Corrections
Court: U.S. District Court, Roanoke
Case no.: 7:13-cv-00543
Tried before: Judge
Judge: Glen E. Conrad
Date resolved: June 5, 2015
Special damages: $28,321.25 in back pay to the plaintiff; $55,000 in compensatory damages to the plaintiff; $74,363.43 awarded in attorneys’ fees and costs
Demand: $72,000 lump sum to include all attorneys’ fees and costs
Offer: None
Verdict or settlement: Verdict
Amount: Court ordered $28,321.25 in back pay; after verdict, parties settled compensatory damages at $55,000
Attorneys for plaintiff: Tommy Strelka and Leigh Strelka, Roanoke
Attorneys for defendant: Office of the Attorney General, Richmond