Former Philadelphia School District Employees Win $2.96 Million
"Reverse" Race Discrimination Verdict
Philadelphia, PA (Dec. 20, 2005) -- After battling for equal rights for almost three years, four white men, all of them former purchasing managers of the School District of Philadelphia, won vindication and a $2.96 million verdict on claims of "reverse" race discrimination and retaliation in a jury verdict entered in federal court today.
The verdict -- believed to be one of the largest "reverse" discrimination awards ever in Pennsylvania -- was a resounding rejection of claims by the School District and its Chief Procurement Officer Kimberly Sangster, also a defendant, that the terminations were due to business reasons and not race discrimination.
Three of the four plaintiffs - Robert Johnston of Philadelphia, Jack Zubris of Holland, Pa., and Edward Pilosi of Bala Cynwyd -- also will be reinstated to comparable jobs at the School District, pursuant to an order entered today by Judge Harvey Bartle III of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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News: Philly Inquirer 12-20-05
News: Law.Com 12-21-05
Lawyer for Plaintiffs
TABLE: Amount of Award
The fourth plaintiff, Peter Bracchi, formerly of Philadelphia, has moved to Florida and was awarded front pay of $243,000, instead of reinstatement.
Each plaintiff testified as to the devastating effects to their careers and their emotions, as they were terminated in February of 2003, without notice and with a security guard stationed outside their offices. None of the plaintiffs had ever been written up for performance issues or terminated in their lives. The jury awarded each plaintiff $500,000 for "mental anguish, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and humiliation" due to the race discrimination and retaliation, and back pay in amounts varying from $71,016 to $203,107.
"Our theme throughout this case was that all employees -- regardless of whether they are black, white, yellow or brown -- are entitled to equal rights and equal protection against race discrimination at work," said Michael Homans, a shareholder in the Philadelphia office of Flaster/Greenberg P.C., who represented the plaintiffs and concentrates his practice in employment law. Flaster/Greenberg attorney Lizanne V. Hoerst also represented the plaintiffs at the trial.