The Society for Human Resource Management will appeal an $11.5 million (all figures U.S.) jury verdict issued Friday in a racial discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by a former employee.
A Colorado federal court jury awarded $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages to Rehab Mohamed, who worked as an instructional designer at SHRM from 2016 to 2020, according to Business Insider.
SHRM said it strongly disagrees with the ruling. “Today’s decision does not reflect the facts, the law, or the truth of how SHRM operates,” the organization said in a statement posted to its website. “We have acted with integrity, transparency, and in full alignment with our values and obligations.”
Case background
Mohamed sued SHRM in 2022, alleging racial discrimination by a supervisor and retaliation for raising concerns to management, Business Insider reported. The case was tried over five days.
During the trial, SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. testified that the organization’s work includes advising HR professionals about best practices for investigating internal complaints of discrimination and retaliation, according to Business Insider.
U.S. District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher earlier denied SHRM’s request to bar evidence about the organization’s HR expertise, saying it was “integral to the circumstances of this case,” Business Insider reported.
SHRM has approximately 340,000 members in 180 countries.
