Federal Court Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit

Novartis AG, the United States unit of Europe’s second largest pharmaceutical company, was found by a jury to be engaged in discriminatory practices towards women, as the Manhattan federal court awarded a dozen women $3.4 million in damages. A Bloomberg.com article by Patricia Hurtado and David Glovin reports on some of the details:

The women are part of the Basel, Switzerland-based company’s 14,000-member workforce in the U.S. They’ve said they’re seeking about $200 million in punitive damages. Jurors found that Novartis discriminated against women over pay and promotion and because they got pregnant….

One woman testified she was told by a male manager to get an abortion. Another said she was excluded from professional and social gatherings, including outings on which male colleagues took doctors to strip clubs…

Discrimination of any kind cannot be tolerated by the citizens of our nation. Although our country has made great strides in reducing discrimination from within the workplace, there still exist instances of discrimination based on sex, race, and age. At Perenich The Law Firm, we understand the value of a fair working environment that treats all equally and provides equal opportunity for everyone to make a living regardless of their sex, race or age. We are here to serve you here in the Clearwater and greater Tampa Bay area to ensure your rights in the workplace are protected.