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Man accused of harassment wins $2.1 million from employer. 

A female service clerk filed a sexual harassment charge against Eddie Gonsalves in January 1998. Gonsalves was subsequently sacked from his auto service manager job at Infiniti-Nissan as a result.

Gonsalves said "It felt like I was being dragged through the mud and no matter how hard you rinsed off, it was going to follow you for the rest of your life,"

The case is believed to be the largest employment jury verdict returned in the state and the first where a male sued for reverse sex discrimination and won, according to Jerry Hiatt, Gonsalves' attorney.

For nearly seven months after he was fired, he couldn't find work because he had to explain on applications why he was fired from Infiniti-Nissan. At over 50 workplaces he applied to for work, none called back.

Gonsalves had to take menial, occasional jobs. Worse was to follow he and his wife, Edna, lost their Kanehoe home to foreclosure.

The Circuit Court jury in Hawaii voted a $2.1 million award to Gonsalves in January 2000.

            Source:

(Debra Barayuga, "$2.1 million award in reverse prejudice jury verdict", Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Jan. 26 <http://starbulletin.com/2000/01/26/news/story8.html>)

CRO Note

This case makes it clear - women as well as men are penalized by the sexual harassment laws. Gonsalves wife lost her home, the roof over her head, all because the employer failed to conduct an adequate investigation.