Jury says Austin Energy retaliated against employee

A Travis County district court jury has voted to award $750,000 to an Austin Energy employee after finding that other city employees retaliated against her after she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination based on her race and age.

Sandra Greene, who is Black, filed suit against the city, alleging discrimination and retaliation by her boss and co-workers. Her current title is business analyst senior.

The jury, which decided the case on Feb. 10, answered “no” to questions related to discrimination but found that her manager improperly failed to evaluate her performance as an individual and excluded her from meetings which she should have attended. In addition, the jury found that the city’s Human Resources Department referred Greene back to the Human Resources section of Austin Energy rather than investigating her complaint about her boss.

The jury also found that city employees filed false complaints against Greene and failed to inform her about such complaints.

Jurors voted 10-2 to award Greene $300,000 for back pay and benefits, plus $300,000 for past emotional pain and suffering and mental anguish. They also voted to award her $150,000 in compensatory damages in the future, including economic losses, pain and suffering and mental anguish.

Attorney Gary Bledsoe represented Greene at trial. Judge Catherine Mauzy of the 419th Civil District Court presided over the trial.

Greene is a member of the AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Local 1624. AFSCME Business Manager Carol Guthrie told the Austin Monitor that Greene filed her complaint with the EEOC in 2016 and then “the city started retaliating against her.”

Guthrie said the union is hopeful that the city “will work with us, instead of against us, to do the right thing for employees who experience workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in the future. It is our hope that the verdict sends a message to the city that it must treat its employees fairly and protect them from retaliation.”

The city did not respond to a request for comment before the Austin Monitor’s deadline. The city has 30 days to file an appeal once a judgment is signed. In addition to the $750,000 in damages, the judge will make a decision on how much to award Greene in attorney’s fees.

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