The New York Daily News has a story about Walter Palmer, the lion-killing dentist, that includes some legal paperwork that could be worthwhile reading. Dr. Palmer employed a receptionist for 5.5 years. Three months after she was fired (for unknown reasons), she filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, alleging “verbal comments and physical conduct” during all 5.5 years on the job (“ongoing and unwelcome”).The BLS says that receptionists are paid a nationwide average of $26,000 per year. This plaintiff got paid $127,500 to settle her complaint, roughly comparable to five years of income for a receptionist. (She presumably had to share some of this with her lawyer but receptionists wages are taxable whereas compensation for damages is tax-free.)
[What if the receptionist had sex with the dentist? Her potential child support revenue would be capped at $406,728 under Minnesota child support guidelines. A weekend with the dentist in California, Massachusetts, or even neighboring Wisconsin would work out much better financially.]
Harvard graduate Buddy Fletcher, Ellen Pao‘s husband, made more money from his employment lawsuit than he ever did for investors.
I’m wondering if this is the trend. Could it be that employment litigation will, for most American workers, be more lucrative than employment?
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