Current:Home > MyIowa Supreme Court overturns $790,000 sexual harassment award to government employee-LoTradeCoin
Iowa Supreme Court overturns $790,000 sexual harassment award to government employee
View Date:2024-12-23 18:28:47
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Inappropriate comments by a superior to a social worker and between other employees at the state Department of Human Services did not justify a $790,000 jury award for sexual harassment, the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled.
Friday’s ruling reversed a lower court’s verdict for Tracy White, a social work administrator and manager who sued the state agency in 2019, alleging a pervasive pattern of harassment and sexual conduct, the Des Moines Register reported.
Her lawsuit alleged lewd and graphic remarks by others in the office, including a superior joking about her wearing leather and whipping him; managers showing favoritism for more attractive and less assertive female employees; and a sexually charged atmosphere in which workers called women “eye candy” and joked about the tightness of their clothing.
White, who continued to work for the department after filing suit, testified in a 2021 trial that she suffered depression, shingles and other effects of stress related to a hostile work environment.
A jury awarded her $260,000 for past harms and $530,000 for future harm.
But the Supreme Court ruled that White failed to prove that the alleged misconduct she personally experienced was “severe or pervasive enough,” and that much of it involved alleged harassment of other employees, not her.
It said White heard many of the details for the first time when the jury did, and Justice Thomas Waterman wrote that “well settled” law prevents plaintiffs from relying on “me-too” evidence of which they were not aware.
White’s attorney, Paige Fiedler, said in an email to the Des Moines Register that her client remains grateful to the jurors who sided with her, and she accused the Supreme Court of a pattern of disregarding evidence and overriding juries’ factual findings.
“When judges choose not to follow legal precedent, they normally overrule it or explain why it doesn’t apply. They are not supposed to simply omit any mention of prior cases that contradict their ruling,” Fiedler wrote.
veryGood! (4895)
Related
- 'Heretic' spoilers! Hugh Grant spills on his horror villain's fears and fate
- Much of central US faces severe thunderstorm threat and possible tornadoes
- California officials sue Huntington Beach over voter ID law passed at polls
- Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid joins exclusive group with 100-assist season
- The Office's Kate Flannery Defends John Krasinski's Sexiest Man Alive Win
- Taylor Swift's Stylish Coachella Look Included a $35 Skirt
- Rhea Ripley relinquishes WWE Women's World Championship because of injury
- New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall short
- Officer injured at Ferguson protest shows improvement, transferred to rehab
- Officer's silent walks with student inspires Massachusetts community
Ranking
- Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson weighs in on report that he would 'pee in a bottle' on set
- Sisay Lemma stuns Evans Chebet in men's Boston Marathon; Hellen Obiri win women's title
- Serena Williams says she'd 'be super-interested' in owning a WNBA team
- Supreme Court to examine federal obstruction law used to prosecute Trump and Jan. 6 rioters
- Watch as dust storm that caused 20-car pileup whips through central California
- 4 family members plead not guilty in abduction and abuse of a malnourished Iowa teen
- Democrats seek to seize control of deadlocked Michigan House in special elections
- Rangers clinch NHL's top record, Islanders get berth, last playoff spot still up for grabs
Recommendation
-
NFL overreactions: New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys going nowhere after Week 10
-
Billy Joel's 100th residency special on CBS cut during pivotal 'Piano Man' performance
-
'Senseless act of violence': Alabama mother of 4 kidnapped, found dead in car; man charged
-
Love Is Blind's Chelsea Responds After Megan Fox Defends Her Against Criticism
-
Brianna LaPaglia Reacts to Rumors Dave Portnoy Paid Her $10 Million for a Zach Bryan Tell-All
-
Maui Fire Department to release after-action report on deadly Hawaii wildfires
-
Former All-Star, World Series champion pitcher Ken Holtzman dies
-
Jets reveal new uniforms that honor 'New York Sack Exchange'