The Riverside Press-Enterprise is reporting that a jury has awarded $916,000 in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages in an age discrimination case against Sears Holdings. The plaintiff, a former manager of a KMart store, claims he was fired as part of a company-wide policy of replacing older workers with "fresh blood."
The 27.3-to-1 ratio of punitive damages to compensatory damages is suspect, to say the least. Not surprisingly, Sears says it plans to file posttrial motions and, if necessary, an appeal.
July 30, 2009
$25 Million Punitive Damages Award in Riverside Employment Case
