A jury has ordered Thomas Jefferson College and Thomas Jefferson College Hospitals, Inc. to pay $15 million to a plaintiff — an orthopedic surgeon who previously held medical privileges and a school appointment — for violating Title IX when it failed to research his claims of sexual misconduct in opposition to a colleague.
Based on the grievance, filed in June 2020, the inciting occasion occurred at a celebration the plaintiff held at his residence in June 2018. After the celebration, he had a sexual encounter with a “sexually aggressive” resident doctor at TJUH, regardless of the plaintiff being intoxicated and saying that he didn’t consent.
Three days after the encounter, in line with the plaintiff, the resident and her husband tried to extort cash from him. He reported the sexual misconduct and extortion try that very same day, in line with the grievance, after which the resident filed her personal grievance alleging nonconsensual intercourse — a transfer he alleged was taken in retaliation for his grievance.
Based on the plaintiff, the college coerced him into taking a go away of absence whereas not doing the identical for his accuser; failed to research the plaintiff’s personal allegation or the potential for retaliation on the resident’s half; and did not evaluation doubtlessly exculpatory proof, together with a threatening voicemail from the resident’s husband.
In coming to its determination, the jury deliberated for 2 and a half hours and regarded hurt to the plaintiff’s profession and fame in addition to misplaced earnings and potential earnings, in line with a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The judgment was handed down Dec. 11.
The College plans to attraction the choice, in line with a press release supplied to HR Dive.
“We’re dissatisfied within the jury’s verdict and proceed to imagine Jefferson handled each events pretty and equitably on this matter between a school member and a resident doctor learner,” Irene Contreras Reyes, senior director of reports and media relations for Jefferson Well being, mentioned. “Nonetheless, we respect the jury course of and thank the jurors for his or her service. Jefferson will contemplate all appellate choices out there to it.”
Within the grievance, the plaintiff pointed to the “Pricey Colleague Letter,” launched by the U.S. Division of Schooling’s Workplace for Civil Rights in April 2011. The letter — rescinded in September 2017 below then-Secretary of Schooling Betsy DeVos — suggested universities to be extra victim-centered of their response to Title IX complaints. Based on courtroom paperwork, though the plaintiff was the primary to file a grievance, he was handled because the “respondent,” or aggressor, motivated by “gender-bias in opposition to [the plaintiff] as a male accused of sexual assault.”
Whereas Title IX is restricted to college environments, the Jefferson case might supply some classes for HR professionals. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to most employers and equally prohibits discrimination primarily based on gender — in addition to race, faith and a number of other different traits.
Whereas it’s extra widespread to see discrimination circumstances by which the plaintiffs are minorities and girls, the previous few years have additionally seen White, male plaintiffs prevailing of their Title VII complaints, together with an government who mentioned he was terminated simply previous to changing into eligible for a stronger advantages bundle and changed by two ladies. (The employer within the case, Novant Well being, appealed the choice in November 2022.)
To keep away from discrimination claims that come from well-intentioned approaches or insurance policies, HR ought to conduct thorough and good-faith critiques of all complaints and contain counsel of their growth of DEI insurance policies, specialists have instructed.
