Call it harassment or assault, the unheeded advances made to a nurse by her co workers fell on deaf ears by her superiors. But the legal course condemned the incident.
A federal court in California condemned the treatment meted out to a surgical physician’s assistant, by her male colleagues and awarded compensation to the victim. The victim Ani Chopourian complained that the male staffs were making sexual advances, to the superiors, who also witnessed such acts. The superiors only laughed at Ani. Later the lady sent a mail to the higher authorities of the Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California, but in response got fired from the job.
The jury slapped a fine on the hospital owners Catholic Healthcare West for $125 million in damages. The federal court jury agreed she had been unfairly dismissed. They also added $42.7 million in compensation for lost wages and mental anguish suffered by the 45-year-old Ani. This was the ever highest compensation awarded for such acts in the country’s history. But the hospital authorities stand by their stands and have expressed their desire to appeal the decision. The hospital claim that she was fired for failing to report for work one Sunday, but Chopourian said she was on call but never notified she was needed at the hospital. (With inputs from internet: AarKay)
