Federal Jury Verdict of $400,000 on Client’s Sexual Harassment Claims Against Georgia Car Dealership Where She Worked as Receptionist

Stembridge Taylor secured a total award of over $600,000 following a jury trial in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of GA. Client Melanie Johnston brought sexual harassment claims against her former employer, the car dealership Pye Cars of Dalton, citing extensive crude sexual advances by a car salesman. During the trial, attorneys Lisa Taylor and John Stembridge elicited detailed testimony about the specifics of the harassment and the dealership’s knowledge of but failure to remediate the hostile work environment. After four days of testimony and a few hours of deliberations, the jury found in favor of Ms. Johnston and awarded her $400,000: $50,000 in compensatory damages, $250,000 in punitive damages, and $50,000 for each state law claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent retention. The Court later awarded Ms. Johnston all of her attorneys’ fees and costs, in the amounts of $227,160 and $7,406.50, respectively. Due to statutory caps, Ms. Johnston’s award was reduced to $150,000.00 but the jury’s message to the dealership was clear: treat your employees better.