The jury of a US District Court in New York has awarded a Jewish plaintiff US$ 735,000 in damages for suffering religious discrimination at his workplace. Gregory Fishman, 45, won US$ 235,000 for suffering emotional pain and US$ 500,000 in punitive damages after claiming that he had been denied promotions and penalized for taking sick leave because of his religion. In a complaint filed in late 2006, Fishman alleged that his boss, Peter Senesi, used an expletive in referring to him as a Jew following a meeting to discuss absences from work. Fishman also claimed he had been denied advancement, even though he earned a high score on a promotion exam. Fishman worked for MTA Bridges and Tunnels, which operates seven bridges and two tunnels in New York City. He also is seeking more than US$ 1 million in lost pay.
