Workplace discrimination comes in a number of different forms, including harassment and discrimination against members of the United States Military. Service members cannot choose when they will be deployed or for how long they will be gone, and employers must work around this type of commitment.
A lawsuit was recently finalized for a woman who was terminated from her employment due to her membership in the U. S. National Guard. The woman was employed by a civilian employer in addition to her commitment to the U.S. National Guard.
Back in February 2008, the woman told her employer she was preparing to be activated for a deployment to Iraq. Within approximately one month following her statement about her pending deployment the woman was fired from her civilian job. Prior to her termination, the woman says she also suffered harassment and discrimination due to her membership in the U. S. National Guard. The woman claimed both her fellow co-workers and also management participated in the harassment and discrimination.
It was reported that on one occasion the woman was told she would be fired if the employer found out she volunteered for her deployment to Iraq. The woman claims she informed her employer about the harassment and discrimination on three different occasions. In spite of her complaints, her employer did not initiate a formal investigation and failed to make any decisive actions to stop the harassment and discrimination.
The woman filed a lawsuit against her employer in Federal court and won. The Federal jury awarded the woman $485,000 for the harassment and discrimination she endured and for the wrongful termination of her civilian employment.
Source: MYNorthwest.com, “National Guard Sergeant awarded $85K for workplace discrimination,” Brandi Kruse, May 1, 2012
