Saturday, April 29, 2006

Who's your daddy?

Story of the week:


FRESNO, Calif. - A saleswoman who was spanked in front of her co-workers as part of what her employer said was a camaraderie-building exercise will get $1.7 million in damages.

You gotta be kidding me. 1.7 MILLION, because she was humiliated?? Where do people get their huge freakin' EGOS? In my life, I've ridden a real fire-breathing, pissed-off bull, (and was thrown off in 1.2 seconds) worn a dress at a live broadcast, I have a 16-year-old daughter, and for chrissake, I've failed at marriage THREE times. And that's just scratching the surface of my personal and professional humiliation.

Granted, I did most of these things willingly, but come on. If companies were liable for these kinds of damages based on personal humiliation, the catholic church would/should be bankrupt.

More of the story:


Jurors first awarded her $500,000 to compensate her for emotional distress, pain, suffering, past economic losses and future medical costs. They then added $1.2 million in punitive damages.

Huh? I can maybe see the first half-MILLION (probably more than she'd make in 10 years) for emotional distress and past economic losses... but how many future medical costs can she possibly have from being spanked by a flimsy little yard sign? Frankly, I'd like to see pictures of the "damage." (wink nudge)

Then, the jury adds 1.2 MILLION more in punitive damage???

Okay, this is a great example of why our court system is the laughing stock of the world. Americans are being made millionaires based on being humiliated. I am POSITIVE this will be overturned by appeal.


Employees were paddled with rival companies' yard signs as part of a contest that pitted sales teams against each other, according to court documents. The winners poked fun at the losers, throwing pies at them, feeding them baby food, making them wear diapers and swatting their buttocks.

"No reasonable middle-aged woman would want to be put up there before a group of young men, turned around to show her buttocks, get spanked and called abusive names, and told it was to increase sales and motivate employees," her lawyer, Nicholas "Butch" Wagner, said in his closing argument on Wednesday.

Don't misunderstand. I think the company is STUPID for fostering such activities. There is nothing motivating about being paddled and forced to wear diapers. (although a good paddling can be... well, ya know what - never mind) The manager that developed the strategy should be fired, and the company should pay a price for this mistake. She could have refused to participate, but I understand social pressures, especially if you feel your livlihood hangs in the balance.

But 1.7 MILLION dollars? Shit, if being humiliated is worth 1.7, I'm sitting on at least a BIL. Drinks are on me!




Now THAT'S a spanking.

9 comments:

Fantastagirl said...

Where's a lawyer when you need one? I can't believe that she is getting that much money.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

Is that a ripple effect I see on that guy's ass? That's a super hard spankin' if it is. Ouch...

Amandarama said...

Um.

I'm not sure how being spanked is a "bonding" experience, but it sure has hell isn't worth $1.7 million dollars. At least according to the lawyers that settled my dad's estate. But, apparently, that was after the tax lien.

TAS said...

There are alot of idiots out there who are quickly to say "I'm gonna sue!" It gives a bad name to the people who really need the litigation to solve real problems.

... said...

I find it amazing that we let this kind of thing happen....my confidence in our legal system went down when the judge awarded 3 million to that dolt that spilled hot coffee on herself. We should be the laughing stock of the world for that kind of crap.

Lee Ann said...

I am right there with you. The kind of crap people get away with and even more so, get paid for!
Ridiculous!

That picture of the REAL spanking looks like it would be quite painful...ouch!

Violet said...

I think if the corporation was stupid enough not to train its employees on proper etiquette, then they deserve to be sued. It is unfortunate that this woman had to endure this event in the first place. Dave made a point that she could have refused to participate, and I hate to play this card, but he has never been a female in a male dominated workplace.

My point, as always, is that you know there is more to the story than what the media portrays.

Weary Hag said...

Jeeze, the lawyers who first TOOK the case and the judge who banged the gavel on this one ought to be taken to the town square and paddled but GOOD.

(one question though ... did this spanking activity include a shiny pole and some spiked heels? Cuz if it did, she missed her chance to make a cool mil selling tickets to the event and doing it to music. I mean, why waste time waiting for a court date? Right?)

mckay said...

when i was a kid i was on a swim team. if we goofed off the coach had us get out of the pool, assume the position and then swatted us (HARD) with a foam kick board. the sound alone was enough to strike terror into the kids in the water watching.

they were called fanny burners. they were and they did.