A jury in Los Angeles has returned a $6.2 million verdict to Brenda Lee, a former Los Angeles firefighter who claimed she was the victim of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation because she is African American and a lesbian. The award included $3.5 million in back and future wages and benefits, plus $2.5 million for emotional distress. In addition, a fire captain was ordered to pay Lee $2,500 in punitive damages.
Lee’s lawsuit alleged that she was subjected to derogatory comments, including questions during her job interview about whether anyone in her family had ever been on welfare, and a firefighter’s comment to Lee that she got the job only because she was a black woman and stole the job away from his son. Also, when Lee complained to the fire captain that co-workers weren’t flushing the toilet, the captain allegedly laughed and asked Lee if she thought the waste in the bowl looked like her. She also contended she was subjected to improper discipline and given poor performance evaluations, and her work performance was unjustifiably scrutinized.
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