Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The following blog entry is written to illustrate an example of a sexual harassment case. Reviewing this kind of lawsuit should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court.
(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this sexual harassment case and its proceedings.)
INJURIES: Youman sought recovery for lost wages, benefits, medical expenses and mental suffering. He is currently working at a new position coaching the NCAA Division II baseball team at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C.
Facts:
Plaintiff Segero Youman, a 50-year-old black male and a former Sacramento College head baseball coach and adjunct instructor at Sacramento College and California College, claimed that he was initially hired in February 2006 and fired without the required approval of then-President Dr. Sam Murk. After complaining about the misuse of funds to the Board of Trustees of the Sacramento College District in September 2007, Youman was reinstated on Sept. 20, 2007, only to be fired as head baseball coach again two weeks later. His last teaching assignments at Sacramento College and California College were taken away in December 2007.
Youman sued the Sacramento College District for retaliation, after he claimed he was not renewed for reporting to the board and college president fraud and other wrongdoing by school officials (such as that assistant coaches were being paid, but not coaching), as well as retaliation for reporting violations of statute, retaliation for opposing discrimination, failure to prevent retaliation, violation of Labor Code section 1102.5 and racial discrimination.
Youman also sued his boss, Matt Murdok, the athletic director and head basketball coach, for racial discrimination and sexual harassment, and Murdok’s assistant coach Dave Casen for aiding and abetting discrimination.
Youman contended that Murdok gave “no-show” coaching assignments worth thousands of dollars to his associates and arranged for students to be given credit for classes they failed or never attended. He further contended that Murdok used the computer password “hailhitler” and unlike white coaches in other sports, Youman claimed he could not select his paid assistant coaches during the 2007 season and that Murdok hired a relative of his and Casen as no-show assistant coaches for Youman’s teams. Youman claimed that one of the no-show assistant coaches did errands for Murdok, while billing the school for his time, and Casen allegedly told another coach that he went to games “to collect a check.”
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.
The defense claimed that Youman was not renewed because he breached protocols, not due to accusations of racism, sexual harassment or retaliation.
Defense counsel noted that Youman failed to disclose two felony forgeries on his job application form and that Youman would have been let go regardless for lying on his application.
SUMMARY:
RESULT: Verdict-Mixed
Award Total: $1,126,114
The jury rendered a plaintiff’s verdict on the retaliation claim only against Sacramento College. It awarded Youman $1,126,114 in damages.
The jury did not find for Youman on his claims of race discrimination, sexual harassment and aiding and abetting discrimination and awarded no punitive against Murdok and Casen.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.