A man who claimed in a lawsuit that he was fired from a hospital system because he was a white man has received a $10 million injunction by a North Carolina jury, according to court documents.
David Duvall of Michigan sued Novant Health, Inc. in 2019 after being fired from the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications the previous year.
Duvall said in the lawsuit that he was fired without cause “as part of a deliberate campaign to promote diversity in the ranks of its management” and that he was fired because of his gender and gender.
Novant Health, based in Winston-Salem, denied the allegations. He has said in court filings that he was fired for failing to perform and delegating critical duties to his subordinates.
“We are deeply disappointed with the ruling, as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason to terminate Mr. Duvall,” a Novant Health spokesperson said in a statement. “We will pursue all legal options, including an appeal.”
Duval, who was hired in 2013, said he was fired shortly before his fifth anniversary at the company and replaced by a black woman and a white woman. He said the discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Luke Larges, Duval’s attorney, told NBC News that the former CEO was fired days before his fifth anniversary, when he was entitled to greater compensation.
“The message is not to abandon diversity and inclusion, but to do so legally,” Larges said.
A federal jury trial was held this month, and the verdict was handed down on Tuesday, according to court records.
The sentencing form says the jury found Duval’s gender or gender was a motivating factor in the termination, according to online federal court records.
