Florida Jury awards Federal Employee $2.5 million
Ulysses Hudson won a jury award of $2.5 million dollars in a suit against the Department of Homeland Security. In that suit, he claimed reprisal for filing complaints of harassment and discrimination.
Hudson, a black Intelligence Research Specialist, first sued the agency in 2001, claiming racial harassment by managers and co-workers. The harassment consisted of racial comments, putting nails in his tires, and treating him as less than an equal. That conduct caused him depression and anxiety and prompted his doctor to order that he no longer work in the agency’s Miami office. The Agency moved him to an office in Ft. Lauderdale to accommodate the anxiety and depression that resulted from that treatment.
After a jury decided against him in the first case, DHS gave Mr. Hudson the choice of moving back to Miami or be fired. He refused to go back to Miami and was fired. The termination was the basis for a second lawsuit for retaliation and failure to accommodate his disability. After a 5 day trial, a jury awarded Mr. Hudson damages in the amount of $2.5 million dollars. $1.5 million of that was attributable to pain and suffering and mental anguish.
