Brokerage BHS Appeals Orders To Pay Agent $977K For Discrimination
Brown Harris Stevens of the Hamptons seeks to overturn rulings awarding Shauncy Claud practically $1 million after a court docket discovered the agency wrongfully fired her for submitting a discrimination criticism.
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Brown Harris Stevens of the Hamptons is asking a better court docket to overturn rulings awarding an actual property agent practically $1 million after a federal court docket discovered the outstanding actual property brokerage wrongfully fired her for submitting a discrimination criticism.
On March 11, BHSH filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court docket of Appeals for the Second Circuit contesting a ruling by Decide Nina R. Morrison of the U.S. District Court docket for the Jap District of New York.
Morrison’s Feb. 28 ruling ordered BHSH to pay agent Shauncy Claud $801,113.14 after discovering that she was entitled to compensatory and punitive damages as a result of BHSH violated an anti-discrimination legislation when the agency retaliated in opposition to her for complaining of racial discrimination by a supervisor.
Shauncy Claud
Claud was the one Black agent related to BHSH when she joined the six-office brokerage in November 2016. She filed a complaint in March 2018 alleging she was terminated in June 2017 in retaliation for a criticism she made to the agency two weeks earlier than she was fired.
In June, Morrison awarded Claud $787,896.68, which included compensatory damages for again pay and emotional misery and $200,000 in punitive damages. With curiosity, the damages award involves $801,113.14. In her ruling, Morrison acknowledged that Claud, as an impartial contractor, may have been fired for any non-discriminatory cause, however discovered that “BHSH’s proffered cause for Claud’s termination was wholly pretextual,” making an attempt to cowl up retaliation in opposition to a protected exercise: complaining of racial discrimination by a supervisor.
As well as, on Jan. 23, Morrison awarded Claud $170,065 in legal professional’s charges and $6,067.69 in bills, including as much as $176,132.69. BHSH appealed that order on Feb. 23. Mixed with the damages award, BHSH must fork over $977,245.83 — practically $1 million — if its appeals are unsuccessful.
Claud’s expertise is notable partly for the place it happened. In 2019, Lengthy Island newspaper Newsday launched a groundbreaking, three-year investigation that exposed widespread agent bias in opposition to shoppers of coloration within the area. Brown Harris Stevens was not one of many 12 brokerages included in that research.
In June, Claud advised Inman she’d wish to see “extra of a various presence inside these actual property brokerages and in any respect ranges, not simply brokers, however administration ranges and govt ranges and better up” and believed extra minority illustration at brokerages would result in much less discrimination in opposition to shoppers.
Inman has reached out to Claud and BHSH mum or dad firm Brown Harris Stevens for remark and can replace this story if and when responses are acquired.
