Contempt damages?

[apishapa]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Colorado. Last year I sued my employer (state of Colroado) for gender discrimination. I won a favorable opinion from the Civil Rights Commission, and settled with the state for money, a promotion, andgender discrimination training for all employees in my department statewide. According to my settlement, the division office in which I was employed prior to my promotion was to provide this training before the end of the calendar year 2011. The rest of the statehas to be done during 2012. I was promised that they would make every effort to provide this training to every employee and that it would be mandatory. If someone was sick, they would be excused, but they would try to get everyone to attend. In fact I was promised it would be done in my dvision in September. This was a big deal for me. I had a very difficult time figuring out the rules and procedures I had to navigate to proceed with this. It has been an ongoing problem in this department, and if it wasn't so hard to file, there would be more.

Anyway. long story. There have not been any classes in the division office and no announcement that they will take place this week. Since no one is there this week, I would object if they did shcedule this now. It would Violate the spirit of the agreement.I', not in that office anymore, but I am in contact with women who are there who also have been discriminated against, but were afraid to sue.

If they do not complete the training by the deadline, is there any kind of damages I can get because they violated our agreement? The only way to force an issue with this gruop is by getting them in the pockebook. I know that. Can I do a press release that they have not complied with the promised training? Maybe if they are embarassed, they will do what they promised. I'm pretty mad about this because I would have gone to trial if they hadn't agreed to this. And I would have won. I could have gotten a much better settlement if I had not felt obligated to settler. I had a really good case. I just figured I was doing this for more than money, I wanted other women to know they can fight back. Those classes are why I settled.

 

[ecmst12]

I don't see any damages. And this was a settlement, not a court order, so there is no contempt. Did you ask your lawyer?

 

[apishapa]

This "settlement" was approved by a court and the state is bound legally by that settlement. When you settle a lawsuit, if you don't comply with the terms of that settlement, you are in contempt. Just because I didn't go to trial does not mean the agreement is not legally binding.

Also, sometimes lawsuits are for justice. I'm sorry you feel like money is the only important goal. I did get a monetary settlement, but I settled for less than I could have gotten. THere have been many instaances of the se=ame treatment I got in that office. I just got so mad, I finally decided it had to be stopped. That is why I sued. It is not easy to be a pariah in your office. It is not easy to fight every damned day because there is one kind of retaliation after another coming at you. I have to transfer and leave my entire family. I will probably lose my house. I did not do this on a whim, it took me a year to navigate the system alone. I did nt hire a lawyer. I could not afford one. I did my own research and I wrote my own briefs to the Civil Rights Commission. After I won the favorable opinion, I asked the state union's lawyer to help me with the settlement process.

It was very important to me that the state have to acknowledge that gender discrimination is a problem and it is illegal. The training they promised to present is a big concession from them. I just want to make them actually fulfill that promise.