Monetary Relief
If an individual proves that her
termination from employment is due
to an unlawful employment practice,
she is eligible to receive monetary
compensation. These types of relief
are broken down as follows:
•
Back Pay: the wages, salary
and benefits that she would have
received had the illegal termination
not occurred, subject to various
offsets and conditions;
•
Front Pay: a continuation of back pay beyond the date of judgment at
trial, if it is deemed appropriate to compensate the plaintiff for the future effects
of the discrimination she endured;
•
Compensatory Damages: awarded for non-economic injuries such as
emotional distress, harm to reputation and pain and suffering;
•
Punitive Damages: against non-governmental employers, to punish the
employer when it is determined that "the respondent engaged in a
discriminatory practice with malice or with reckless indifference to the
federally protected rights of an aggrieved individual;" in other words, for
conduct that would be considered outrageous, or conduct that "shocks the
conscience;"
•
Liquidated Damages: or double-damages, in Equal Pay Act and Age
Discrimination in Employment Act cases, if the discriminatory conduct is proven
to be "willful" (the employer knew of the conduct and did nothing or showed
reckless disregard for whether or not the conduct was illegal);
•
Attorneys Fees: to the prevailing plaintiff.
