$10M Awarded to Former Exec , Who Said He Was Fired , Because He’s a White Male.
A North Carolina jury has awarded $10 million to a man who claims he was fired from a hospital system because he is a white male.
NBC reports that in 2018, David Duvall was fired as senior vice president of marketing and communications at Novant Health, Inc.
In 2019, Duvall filed suit against his former employer.
According to Duvall's lawsuit, he was terminated without cause, "as part of an intentional campaign to promote diversity in its management ranks.".
This October, a federal jury trial was held to hear the case.
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NBC reports that the jury found that Duvall's termination was motivated by his race or sex.
According to NBC, Novant Health has denied those allegations.
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In court filings, the Winston-Salem company said that he was fired over subpar performance and delegating critical duties to subordinates.
We are extremely disappointed in the verdict, as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason for Mr. Duvall's termination.
We will pursue all legal options, including appeal, Novant Health spokesperson, via statement.
Luke Largess, Duvall's attorney, said that the former executive was fired days before his fifth anniversary, which would have entitled him to a larger severance.
The message is not to abandon diversity and inclusion, it's to do it legally, Luke Largess, Attorney for David Duvall, via NBC