Court Upholds $500,000 Award against Duke

The North Carolina Supreme Court has upheld a $500,000 damage award against Duke from a 1996 sexual harassment suit.

Sarah Jo Ann Watson received the punitive verdict after a trial in which she claimed she suffered "severe emotional distress" when, in 1991, she was physically assaulted and sexually harassed by another Duke employee. Watson contended that Duke "ratified" the conduct by failing to stop it and failing to fire the co-worker.

Duke contended that the punitive award was excessive, but the courts disagreed. In addition to the $500,000 punitive award, jurors also ordered Duke to pay Watson $100,000 for personal injury. The co-worker was ordered to pay $5,000 in punitive damages.