Goodyear told to pay woman $4 million

SeattlePI.com, November 9, 2007

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. must pay a Seattle woman nearly $4.4 million after a King County jury found that the company demoted her after she complained of discrimination because of her sexual orientation.

The Superior Court jury reached the decision this week in a lawsuit filed by Melissa Sheffield, 47, who had been working for a Seattle Goodyear store for nearly 10 years before the problems arose in 2003.

Jurors found that a manager and the company retaliated against her by demoting her in May 2003, and that the company didn't reasonably accommodate her so that she could work in spite of an on-the-job injury.

She was demoted after reporting a co-worker who had talked about disliking gay people and who made an inappropriate comment when she confronted him about bringing a gun to work, according to her Seattle attorney, Daniel Johnson.

Johnson said he was pleased with the jurors' decision. "I think they were really upset by what they saw as an employee who was seeking protection in the workplace," he said.

Goodyear argued that Sheffield was demoted for her own misconduct. An attorney for the company could not be immediately reached for comment Friday.

Jurors deliberated less than two days.