Have you or a loved one been unjustly fired from a job? Do you suspect gender or racial discrimination was to blame? If so, call the Massachusetts work discrimination lawyer specialists to learn more about your claim and to get started on recovering the money you deserve. The Law Offices of Gilbert R. Hoy, Jr. and Affiliates is a team of skilled personal injury attorneys with more than twenty-five years of experience handling workplace discrimination claims. Please call today for your free, private consultation at 617-787-3700 or contact us by email at info@gilhoylaw.com.
Massachusetts law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on gender, age, race, disability and other protected classifications. Too frequently, employees are terminated from their positions due to their inclusion in a protected class. In other instances, employers may discriminate in less obvious ways. For example, in a gender discrimination situation, an employer may intentionally and unjustly pay women employees less, deny them earned promotions or refuse to allow them reasonable requests for accommodations. Discrimination in the workplace creates an oppressive atmosphere, and often leaves victims emotionally and financially crippled.
Although many instances of workplace discrimination go unchecked, one National City, California resident saw to it that justice was served. Rosario Juarez began working at AutoZone in National City as the store manager back in 2005. A year into her tenure there, she learned she was pregnant. When she told her boss, the district manager, she was surprised and dismayed at his response. He told her, “I feel sorry for you. Congratulations.”
After having told her boss that she was pregnant, he began treating her differently. He assigned her pointless tasks, and then told her she would need to redo them. Although she met all target sales, her manager nevertheless berated her constantly. She was soon demoted, and eventually fired. Juarez filed a civil lawsuit against AutoZone, which revealed rampant gender discrimination throughout the company stemming from high-level executives. Ultimately, a California jury awarded Juarez $185 million in damages. That figure included $900,000 in compensatory damages, which are damages intended to make the victim whole again. The remaining $184.1 million in damages was allocated to punitive damages, which are damages intended to punish the defendant. Such damages send a strong message to the wrongdoer that gender and pregnancy discrimination will not be tolerated.