In a rare trial of a racial-discrimination case, a black woman who said she was fired after complaining about harassment at State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. has won a $162,000 court award.
A jury awarded DeLois Porter $112,000 for lost wages and benefits after a seven-day trial in U.S. District Court in Denver last month. Last week, Judge Richard Matsch ordered State Farm to pay an additional $50,000 plus interest and legal costs.
The jury found that while Porter didn’t prove racial discrimination, she did prove she was fired for complaining about discrimination. The jury did not award damages for emotional pain and mental anguish.
The award was highly unusual because racial-discrimination cases rarely make it to jury trial, said University of Colorado associate law professor Melissa Hart.
Federal civil rights laws “require the plaintiff to have a fair amount of evidence before it gets to a jury,” she said. As a result, most such cases are settled or dismissed. Those that make it to trial, however, often prevail, she said.
Porter’s attorney, Jennifer Robinson, said State Farm had made settlement offers but her client wanted vindication.
“She worked for the company for 16 years then was summarily terminated. Her reputation was at stake. For her, going to trial was the only option,” Robinson said.
Porter was a claim-team manager for State Farm in Louisville until she was fired in March 2001. Porter claimed in her 2002 lawsuit that a white supervisor made fun of her ethnic hairstyle and clothing in early 2000. She complained of harassment again in November 2000.
Attorneys for State Farm could not be reached late Tuesday.
Staff writer Greg Griffin can be reached at 303-820-1241 or at ggriffin@denverpost.com.
