Confidential
Settlement – $1,333,000Judge
Court
L.A. Superior Torrance
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Barbara F. Hadsell
(Hadsell, Stormer, Renick & Dai LLP)
Defendant
Jon G. Miller
(Littler)
Experts
Plaintiff
Monica Ballard
(technical)
Anthony E. Reading Ph.D.
(medical)
Stephanie R. Rizzardi-Pearson
(technical)
Defendant
Francine B. Kulick
(medical)
Marcia Haight
(technical)
Robert Eisenman
(technical)
Roberta J. Spoon
(technical)
Facts
The two female plaintiffs in this case were employed with defendant city. Commencing in 1992, the individual defendant became the department head. The plaintiffs alleged that he commenced sexually harassing plaintiffs by calling them at home, asking them out on dates and to spend the night at his home, making intrusive and objectable comments about their physical appearance, calling them by offensive nicknames referencing body parts and national origin, leering at them in a sexual manner, etc. The plaintiffs alleged that when they rejected these advances, the defendant selected them for layoff or demotion, wrote bad performance evaluations, spied on them, and took away former job assignments. The plaintiffs alleged that they made repeated complaints to defendant city personnel, including the head of Human Resources and the city manager, but nothing was done. In October 1995, the individual defendant was terminated. The plaintiffs alleged that the second line supervisory staff continued to retaliate against plaintiffs, particularly after the complaint in this action was filed. The plaintiffs brought this action against the defendants based on race, sex and national origin discrimination, harassment and retaliation theories of recovery.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiffs made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for a combined total of $1.5 million. The city made a C.C.P. º998 offer of compromise for a combined total of $500,000.
Damages
The plaintiffs claimed loss of earnings due to alleged retaliatory selection for lay off/demotion. However, the primary damages sought were for emotional distress.
Other Information
The settlement was reached approximately two years and 10 months after the case was filed. A mediation was held before David Aaron Rotman of Gregorio, Haldeman & Piazza eventually resulting in the reported settlement.
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