Console Law Wins $1.678 Million Jury Verdict for Whistleblower Employee
PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After a five-day trial, a jury in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas returned a unanimous verdict on Friday evening of $1.678 million for a whistleblower-employee who was found to have been fired in violation of the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act ("CEPA"). Although the plaintiff worked in New Jersey, the case was brought in Philadelphia because the company's headquarters are in Pennsylvania and it regularly conducted business in Philadelphia.
The plaintiff, Marla Pietrowski, worked as a senior case manager at The Kintock Group, a corporation that provides transition services to ex-convicts recently released from prison. The jury found she reasonably believed that a manager was engaged in drug activity and violated public policy when he brought his child to the facility where convicted child predators were assigned to report, that she objected to or disclosed the conduct and that the termination she suffered afterwards was retaliatory.
Ms. Pietrowski, who made approximately $44,000 a year, was awarded full back pay of $77,988.75, pain and suffering damages of $100,000 and punitive damages of $1.5 million. She was represented by lead trial counsel, Laura Carlin Mattiacci, along with Rahul Munshi, both of Console Law Offices LLC, an employment rights firm with offices in Philadelphia and Moorestown, NJ. Ms. Mattiacci said that she will also be filing a fee petition because under the CEPA statute the prevailing party is entitled to attorneys' fees and costs, which will bring the total judgment to over $2.0 million.
Regarding the verdict, Ms. Pietrowski said that she feels vindicated. "I feel so thankful to the jury for their ability to see that I was the victim of abuse of power and that employees who stand up to their employers and voice concerns about wrongdoing in the workplace should not fear being fired," Ms. Pietrowski said.
About Console Law Offices, LLC
Console Law Offices LLC is an employment rights law firm with offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Moorestown, New Jersey. Since its inception in 1990, the firm has specialized in the representation of current, former and potential employees concerning work-related matters. The lawyers at Console Law Offices LLC counsel whistleblower-employees who have been retaliated against and individuals who have been victimized by illegal employment discrimination and retaliation, including harassment at work. They also represent employees concerning medical leaves, disability benefits, wage and hour claims, employment contracts, severance agreements, stock option plans, and class action lawsuits. For more information visit: www.consolelaw.com.
SOURCE Console Law Offices LLC
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