The City of Santa Monica has agreed to a $490,000 settlement with a former employee who filed a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination back in 2005. The decade-long legal battle concluded last Tuesday with a 6 to 0 vote by the city council.
City Attorney Marsha Moutrie described it as an “amicable resolution” aimed at avoiding further expenses and litigation.
The settlement came as attorneys were preparing for a new trial in the case, which involved a pregnant Big Blue Bus driver. While city officials said the driver had been fired for poor evaluation after two accidents, the driver claimed her pregnancy was the real motivation. A jury agreed in 2005 and awarded her $200,000. However, a new trial was later ordered on the grounds that the city should have been able to argue a so-called “mixed-motive defense,” meaning she would have been fired due to the poor evaluation, regardless of any other motivations.
Moutrie reiterated last week that the City of Santa Monica has no tolerance for gender discrimination. The fact that she, Interim City Manager Elaine Polachek, and City Clerk Sarah Grossman are all women is further evidence of that fact, she added.
Read more about the recent settlement here.