Potential Repercussions of the Punitive Damages Award Againt the New York Knicks
Anita Hill, the woman well known for testifying during the Senate confirmation hearing of then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas about alleged sexual harassment, has written an interesting article about the Anucha Browne Sanders $11.6 million jury award against the New York Knicks. In the article, Ms. Hill worries that the recent punitive damages award will cause the NBA and other institutions to hire fewer women. This is not only unfortunate but also ironic. Punitive damages are awarded not to compensate the plaintiff but to deter this conduct in the future. However, from a purely economic standpoint, I can see an institution shying away from hiring a women merely to prevent this type of litigation at some future time.
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