On Oct. 22, a woman recovered $100,700 after a jury concluded her former employer discriminated against her because of her gender. In 2007, Shelly Giesler was fired from her job as a shift leader at Ruiz Food Products in Sherman. Giesler, who is white, said her termination occurred four months after she had first reported to a superior that she had been assaulted by a Hispanic male co-worker and only four days after she reported a second assault by another male co-worker. She alleged she was fired because of her gender and race and in retaliation for her assault complaints. She also claimed Ruiz Food didn’t follow its standard disciplinary procedures, which require written warnings before termination. The jury found Giesler was subjected to gender discrimination, but not racial. Her other claims, including retaliation and sexual harassment, were dismissed before trial.
Giesler v. Ruiz Food Products Inc., No. 4:08-cv-003440
