Court awards journalist $2.4 million for racial discrimination and illegal dismissal
A federal jury in the USA awarded former PIX11 journalist Odginitsa Obiekwe $2.4 million in compensation, finding that the TV channel and its parent company Nexstar Media Group unlawfully retaliated against her after complaints of racial discrimination, reports People.
The amount includes about $1.14 million in compensatory damages and $1.28 million in punitive damages.
According to the lawsuit, the Emmy Award winner worked at PIX11 for 22 years. She claimed that she performed the work of several employees but received less support and pay than her white male colleagues. After raising complaints about discrimination to management, according to the journalist, no changes occurred, and in January 2023 she was dismissed.
Initially, the reason for dismissal was cited as failure to perform duties and insubordination, but as stated in the lawsuit, the employer was unable to substantiate these accusations with documentation.
After the verdict was announced, Obiekwe said she hopes her case will remind people of the importance of standing up for their rights. Her lawyers noted that the jury’s decision restored the journalist’s reputation after years of persecution.
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