The University of Wisconsin paid $19,500 to a former Walnut
Street power plant employee who said he suffered retaliation from management
for speaking out about the sexual harassment of a female co-worker.
William Black received $9,000 in damages, $10,500 in
attorney?s fees and was allowed to retire in a settlement with UW.
According to Peter Fox, Black?s attorney for the case, Black
filed a complaint with the state?s Equal Rights Division, claiming he had been
unfairly disciplined by the plant for opposing the treatment the plant?s only
female employee, Amy Gabel, was receiving.
Fox said Black ?put off retirement to stick with Amy.? He
accepted the settlement from the university because it was ?in his best
interest,? Fox added.
?It was an opportunity for Mr. Black to retire and still
make the statement that he supported Amy in her case against the university,?
Fox said.
Fox said Black had a clean work record until he started
opposing the treatment Gabel was receiving. The disciplinary actions taken
against him only began after he sided with Gabel.
?He felt he was the only person who took action,? Fox added.
UW spokesperson Brian Mattmiller said in an e-mail to The
Badger Herald the university denies any retaliation took place. He added the
?modest settlement? was a compromise between the two parties.
?This was a case where a prolonged and potentially costly
legal battle would have done more harm than good,? Mattmiller said.
Fox, who is Gabel?s attorney for her sexual harassment
lawsuit, said the suit is still in the early phases. The university has been
served with the lawsuit and has submitted its written response to the court.
The motions? deadlines and, possibly, the trial start date
will be decided at the scheduling conference set for later this month.
Gabel claims she had to share a locker room with her male
co-workers for almost two years and was asked by a supervisor to have sex with
him. She said she was subjected to unfair discipline and harassment from the
other employees after turning him down.
