A Georgia federal jury has awarded $535,000 in damages to a Black tech worker who alleged he was fired in retaliation for complaining about racial discrimination.
The jury handed down the verdict on June 4 in favor of Matthew Reed, a former employee of Beko Technologies Corp.
Retaliation and Discrimination Claims
Matthew Reed began working at Beko, which develops and manufactures compressed air technology, in 2016 as a production technician.
According to Law360, Reed claimed that despite his excellent work performance, his supervisor denied him raises and treated him discriminatorily.
Reed also alleged that after he complained to the company’s CEO about the racial discrimination in 2021, he was asked to drop his complaint due to potential legal costs but refused.
He said he was then fired without the notice or severance pay stipulated in his employment contract.
Reed filed his retaliation suit in August 2021 under Section 1981.
Legal Proceedings and Responses
In March 2023, U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Clay Fuller dismissed some of Reed’s claims but allowed the retaliation claims to proceed to trial.
The judge found sufficient evidence to suggest that Reed’s complaints could be considered protected activity, making it appropriate for a jury to decide.
The jury found that Reed had faced an adverse employment action because of his complaints about racial discrimination, awarding him $85,000 in damages and $450,000 in punitive damages.
Representatives of Reed and Beko did not immediately respond to Law360’s requests for comment following the verdict.
Image credit: Beko Technologies Corp.
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