Opinion ID: 744871
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Company's Liability for Liquidated Damages.

Text: 36 The Company contends that, because there is insufficient evidence to support a finding that it willfully violated the ADEA, it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on the liquidated damages award or, at least, to a new trial on damages. It argues that, on the slim evidence of age discrimination in this case, the award of punitive damages cannot stand. As expected, Carter claims that the award of liquidated damages was proper based on the substantial evidence she offered undermining the defendant's pretextual explanation for her dismissal and on the decisionmakers' knowledge of the applicability of the ADEA. 37 This court has held that an award of liquidated damages under the ADEA does not require proof that the employer acted with an evil motive, bad purpose, or intent to violate the ADEA. Formby v. Farmers and Merchants Bank, 904 F.2d 627, 631 (11th Cir.1990). In that case, the court held that the jury's rejection of the defendant's pretextual explanation for its adverse employment action combined with the defendant's knowledge that the ADEA prohibited age discrimination sufficed to support an award of punitive damages. Id. at 632. Given that those same two factors are also clearly present in this case, the jury's award of such damages will not be disturbed. 38