Benefits April 7, 2005

UBS Loses Discrimination Suit

April 7, 2005 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - UBS has been ordered to pay a former worker almost $30 million for damages related to sexual discrimination and illegal retaliation.
Reported by

According to Business Insurance, the Swiss bank must pay Laura Zubulake $29.2 million, a New York federal jury ruled Wednesday. Zubulake had filed suit in February, 2002, accusing the firm of undermining her job performance by treating her differently than her male coworkers, as well as ridiculing her in front of other workers and making sexist remarks.

She also contends that the bank fired her after she filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). On top of this, she claimed that the company destroyed email evidence of the bias.

Zubulake was awarded $9.1 million in compensatory damages and $20.1 million in punitive damages; the compensatory damages represent back pay and front pay. Zubulake was making $500,000 before she was fired.

UBS plans to appeal the decision, according to Business Insurance.

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