A jury awarded a former chief people officer nearly $3.3 million on Wednesday, finding she suffered retaliation for speaking up about alleged pay bias and wage and hour violations.
The plaintiff, a lawyer with more than two decades of experience in employment law, was hired as CPO at Memphis-based personal injury law firm Reaves Law Firm, with expectation that she would shape its culture and be a “buffer” between the firm’s founder and its employees.
An issue arose when the founder interrupted an interview and made an offer to a potential hire outside of the pay band for the role, according to the court’s order denying summary judgment for the law firm. He offered the applicant $20,000 more than what a woman employee was already making in the role. The plaintiff highlighted this disparity to her boss, who then accused her of being “disloyal.”
The CPO was demoted shortly after and ultimately fired. The individual sued, alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. A judge denied the employer’s request to dismiss the case, teeing it up for a jury trial.
A jury found the employer had retaliated against her, in violation of all three laws, and awarded her back pay and compensatory and punitive damages.
Neither Reaves Law Firm nor the plaintiff responded to requests for comment by press time.
