Breast Cancer Patient Awarded $8.1 Million in Discrimination Case

Fort Lauderdale, FL: A former employee of the Texas based chain store, Michaels, has been awarded $8.1 million as settlement of her discrimination case.

Following a five-day trial, a jury found that Kara Jorud was unjustly fired from her position as a manager at a Michael's store in Boca Raton, Florida on allegations of theft. The plaintiff held that she was forced to work while undergoing the rigors of chemotherapy, was harassed and was wrongfully accused of theft.

The court heard that Jorud had worked for three years at a Michael's location in Shuesberry, Massachusetts before being transferred to the Boca Raton location in September 2005. It was some time later that Jorud found a lump in her breast. Initially misdiagnosed with lupus, Jorud was eventually given the news that she had breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy on August 19 of that year.

In her lawsuit, Jorud said she had taken a six-week medical leave following her surgery, but within days the cancer patient began taking calls from her District Manager inquiring as to her return. Jorud was originally tasked to turn around the store's reportedly failing operations. Jorud returned to work less than a month after surgery because, she testified, she feared for her job.

Jourd was awarded $4 million for pain and suffering, $4 million for punitive damages and $100,000 for lost wages. The judge in the federal jury case reserved the right to increase the award for lost wages up to $1 million.