Opinion ID: 756659
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Exclusion of CHRO Findings

Text: 8 In support of his age-discrimination claim, Paolitto introduced evidence indicating that Cozza had a pattern of appointing young workers to senior management positions. Specifically, Paolitto provided a chart showing the ages of the six persons appointed by Cozza to senior management positions between 1987 and 1989. The average age of such appointees was 46.3, but the chart noted that the [a]verage age of promotions/appointments before Paolitto['s] age discrimination complaint--i.e., his CHRO filing--was 39.6. This notation and Paolitto's accompanying examination of Cozza were aimed at revealing that Cozza's post-CHRO-filing appointments--with an average age of 53--were an attempt to cover up Cozza's prior discriminatory practices in the face of Paolitto's age-discrimination charge. In response, Brown sought to introduce the CHRO finding--which Judge Goettel had previously ruled inadmissible--to show that the CHRO charge had been dismissed in Brown's favor before Cozza made any of the post-filing appointments. Judge Goettel refused to admit the CHRO finding but allowed Cozza to testify that there was no agency complaint pending at the time when he made the later appointment decisions. On Paolitto's redirect examination, Cozza testified that when the [CHRO] dismissed this case I thought it was over. I had no reason to think it would go any further. At this point, Paolitto's counsel began questioning Cozza about the nature and quality of the CHRO investigation. Brown again sought to admit the CHRO findings, arguing again that Paolitto had opened the door. Once more, Judge Goettel refused to admit the evidence, but allowed Brown to elicit from Cozza information about the testimony provided to the CHRO investigator.B. Verdict and Post-trial Rulings 9 The jury returned a verdict in favor of Paolitto on all three claims and further found that Brown had acted willfully, thus entitling Paolitto to liquidated damages under the ADEA. As noted, the jury awarded Paolitto $100,000 in compensatory damages on his failure-to-promote claim and $29,000 in compensatory damages on his retaliation claim. Judge Goettel ruled that, because Paolitto's damages for the latter claim were subsumed within his damages for the former, he was entitled to compensatory damages only on his failure-to-promote claim, the claim that produced the largest damage award. Because Brown had acted willfully, Judge Goettel awarded Paolitto an additional $100,000 in liquidated damages, for a total amount of $200,000. See 29 U.S.C. §§ 626(b), 216(b). 10 Both parties filed post-trial motions. Brown moved for a new trial on damages or, alternatively, for a remittitur, contending that the verdict was not supported by the evidence. Judge Goettel denied the motion. Paolitto, who was terminated by Brown in 1993, moved for an order directing his appointment to the position of Chief Structural Engineer and/or monetary relief in lieu of such appointment. Judge Goettel denied Paolitto's motion because he had not alleged that his 1993 termination was discriminatory and because he had waited until essentially the eve of trial before raising the issue of post-termination relief. Paolitto also moved for an order making clear that, although he was entitled to compensatory damages only on his failure-to-promote claim, he was entitled to liquidated damages on both that claim and his retaliation claim. Judge Goettel denied that motion, reasoning that the ADEA's liquidated-damages provision precludes an award of liquidated damages that exceeds a plaintiff's compensatory damages.