Levi Strauss & Co. To Appeal Verdict in El Paso Discrimination Suit.SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 1997--Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&CO.) today announced that it will appeal the judgments in an El Paso County El Paso County may refer to one of the following counties in the United States:
The company also announced that it has filed a motion to recuse To disqualify or remove oneself as a judge over a particular proceeding because of one's conflict of interest. Recusal, or the judge's act of disqualifying himself or herself from presiding over a proceeding, is based on the Maxim the presiding judge presiding judge n. 1) in both state and federal appeals court, the judge who chairs the panel of three or more judges during hearings and supervises the business of the court. in the case from all further proceedings on the grounds of personal bias and prejudice. Albert Moreno, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for LS&CO. said: "We are extremely disappointed with a legal system that deprived Levi Strauss & Co. a fair and impartial trial. The company adamantly denies the plaintiffs' claims in this case and will move quickly to appeal." On September 8, a jury in El Paso awarded five plaintiffs $600,000 in compensatory damages A sum of money awarded in a civil action by a court to indemnify a person for the particular loss, detriment, or injury suffered as a result of the unlawful conduct of another. in a lawsuit regarding the company's 1993-1994 return to work programs at its El Paso manufacturing facilities. The following day (September 9), the jury awarded the plaintiffs $10 million in punitive damages Monetary compensation awarded to an injured party that goes beyond that which is necessary to compensate the individual for losses and that is intended to punish the wrongdoer. . The suit was filed in 1994 by 109 LS&CO. employees claiming employment discrimination and contending that the company's return to work programs were a pretext aimed at getting employees to quit so as to reduce rising costs associated with employees who are out on workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. . The trial, which began August 11, 1997, concerned only five plaintiffs. The remaining 104 plaintiffs will be tried in a series of separate cases. Moreno said: "There is no basis for the findings of discrimination and malice in the case. Moreover, the punitive damages awarded in the case are outrageous, unwarranted, and egregious. The company firmly believes there are solid grounds for a reversal of the jury's verdict and their subsequent decisions on damages." During testimony, the company underscored the purpose of the programs was to reconnect with employees who had been away from the facility (in some cases for several years) and to reintegrate re·in·te·grate tr.v. re·in·te·grat·ed, re·in·te·grat·ing, re·in·te·grates To restore to a condition of integration or unity. re these employees to new ways of working. Employees were not asked to return unless they had been cleared by their doctor. Moreno added that the company is seeking to recuse Judge John L. Fashing from further proceedings due to his "naked disregard for his obligations under Texas law and the open hostility he expressed during the trial toward LS&CO. and its legal counsel." LS&CO. is the world's largest brand-name apparel manufacturer with 1996 sales of $7.1 billion. The company manufactures and markets jeans, casual sportswear, and dress pants under the Levi's(R), Dockers
Dockers is a brand of Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss & Co. (R), and Slates(R) brands, and employees about 37,000 worldwide. -0- Note to Editors: Copies of the verdict and LS&CO.'s Motion to Recuse are available upon request. CONTACT: Levi Strauss & Co. Clarence Grebey, 415/501-7140 or 888/961-5600 |
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