
McDonald's Loses in HIV Bias Suit
CLEVELAND -- A jury has confirmed
a prior verdict against McDonald's for forcing a man out of the company
after learning his HIV/AIDS status. A Cuyahoga County Common Pleas jury
unanimously ruled in favor of Russell Rich, 41, awarding him $490,000.
Mr. Rich started working the cash register at McDonald's when he was only
13 years old, and at 34 had become a manager of a company-owned
restaurant. He was pressured to resign when McDonald's learned about his
HIV status.
Without the support of the company's health insurance, Mr. Rich nearly
died. In 1998 he sued the company, but was afraid he would not survive to
see the lawsuit through.
In 2001, he was awarded $5 million in damages. McDonald's appealed, and
the ruling was overturned, based on faulty instructions to the jury from
the judge.
"With me, it's always been the principle, not really the money, but I was
disappointed in the amount because my medications cost $145,000 per year,"
Rich said in a statement. Rich plans to appeal the verdict.
A spokesman for McDonald's said the company also may appeal. "We are
clearly disappointed with the jury's verdict in this case," said spokesman
Bill Whitman. "As we have stated from the beginning of this case, Mr.
Rich's allegations are baseless and without merit." [Back to News Headlines]
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