In a significant ruling by a state appeals court, New Jersey is compelled to pay $10 million in punitive damages for denying workplace accommodations to an employee suffering from multiple sclerosis. The complete details of the case are available.
The case is a notable instance in the realm of public employment, where punitive damages are exceptionally rare owing to the strict test for employer malfeasance that workers must pass under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. The state’s aim was to use this high standard to dismiss a jury award for a juvenile corrections officer. The officer was compelled to retire prematurely instead of being provided the necessary accommodations as her illness restricted her ability to carry out her duties.
An official statement from the court highlighted that “upper management behaved reprehensibly in blithely dismissing plaintiff’s request for…”.
This ruling is not just an expensive lesson for the state but may also serve as a deterrent to employers, prompting them to tackle employee discrimination issues more responsibly.