A former executive who claimed he was fired from his job at a hospital because he is a white man has been awarded a $10million settlement.
David Duvall sued Novant Health, Inc. in 2019 after being relieved of his role as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, which he held for nearly five years.
Duvall said in the lawsuit that he was let go without cause ‘as part of an international campaign to promote diversity in its management ranks’.
Novant Health denied those allegations, and in court filings asserted that Duvall was fired for deficient performance and the delegation of critical duties to subordinates.
‘We are extremely disappointed in the verdict, as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason for Mr. Duvall’s termination,’ a Novant Health spokesperson said in a statement. ‘We will pursue all legal options, including appeal.’
Duvall said he was fired shortly before his fifth anniversary at the company and replaced by two women – Kate Everett, a white woman who had worked with him and was promoted to take the role of Chief PR and Communications Officer and Vicky Free, a black woman who was given the role of Chief Marketing Officer, according to DailyMail.
He argued discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
In his complaint, Duvall wrote of how he regularly received rave reviews from his supervisors, and that his team was always rated highly for their performance.
Luke Largess, Duvall’s attorney, told the outlet the date of his firing was significant because his fifth work anniversary would have entitled him to greater severance.
‘The message is not to abandon diversity and inclusion, it’s to do it legally,’ Largess said.
The verdict was handed down Tuesday, and it found that Duvall’s race or sex was a motivating factor in the termination.
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