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$80,000 Settlement in Seattle Jail Employment Discrimination
Washington State’s King County paid $80,436.71 to settle the lawsuit of Orlando Panelli, who claimed that while working at the Department of Adult Detention from October 1, 1999 through April 16, 2003 he was subjected to discrimination based upon his race and national origin.
He claimed that like other minorities he was placed in undesirable positions that made it difficult to pass the sergeant’s exam and to apply for promotions. When he complained about this to a supervisor in March 2003, a supervisor retaliated against him for exceeding his October 2002 bereavement leave by four hours. After he reported a guard’s assault of a prisoner, he was treated harshly by coworkers and supervisors, resulting in a slice of cheese with a picture of a dissected rat being placed in his mailbox. Finally, a supervisor moved him to the graveyard shift.
Represented by Seattle attorney Chellie M. Hammack, Panelli settled the case in January 2006 for $40,000 in damages and $40,436.71 in costs. The documents related to this claim are available on PLN’s website. See: Panelli v. King County, King Co. Supr. Ct., No. 04-2-34682-7 SEA.
He claimed that like other minorities he was placed in undesirable positions that made it difficult to pass the sergeant’s exam and to apply for promotions. When he complained about this to a supervisor in March 2003, a supervisor retaliated against him for exceeding his October 2002 bereavement leave by four hours. After he reported a guard’s assault of a prisoner, he was treated harshly by coworkers and supervisors, resulting in a slice of cheese with a picture of a dissected rat being placed in his mailbox. Finally, a supervisor moved him to the graveyard shift.
Represented by Seattle attorney Chellie M. Hammack, Panelli settled the case in January 2006 for $40,000 in damages and $40,436.71 in costs. The documents related to this claim are available on PLN’s website. See: Panelli v. King County, King Co. Supr. Ct., No. 04-2-34682-7 SEA.
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Related legal case
Panelli v. King County
| Year | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cite | King Co. Supr. Ct., No. 04-2-34682-7 SEA |
| Level | State Trial Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Attorney Fees | 40,436.71 |
| Damages | 40,000 |
Please see the brief bank for documents related to this case.