Opinion ID: 1302380
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Other Elements of Damage Claimed to Have Been Improperly Awarded.

Text: The city urges that Davis should not have been awarded damages for emotional distress or for back pay. The back-pay argument is tied to the merits of the discrimination finding, and because we affirm the district court's decision in that regard, the entitlement to back pay is correspondingly affirmed. The city's claim with respect to emotional distress damages is based upon a claimed lack of evidentiary support. It is clear that under both Iowa Code section 216.6 and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 a plaintiff may recover damages for emotional distress for employment discrimination without a showing of physical injury, severe distress, or outrageous conduct. Hy-Vee Food Stores, 453 N.W.2d at 526 (section 216.6); Dickerson v. Young, 332 N.W.2d 93, 98-99 (Iowa 1983) (42 U.S.C. § 1983). The city urges, however, that Davis suffered no public humiliation and was not demonstrably distressed from the city's action. Davis and his wife both testified, however, that he suffered embarrassment, frustration, depression, and life changes as the result of the city's actions, which he viewed as egregious. We conclude that this evidence supports the court's award of $10,000 for emotional distress.