Former T-Mobile Manager’s $5 Million Bias Award Gets Trimmed

A former T-Mobile USA Inc. employee’s $4 million punitive damages award was excessive compared to the wrongdoing he suffered, a California appeals court decided.

Stephen Colucci worked as a T-Mobile store manager in Southern California until 2014. During that time he suffered from an anxiety disorder for which he requested disability accommodation.

A district manager, Brian Robson, discriminated against Colucci because of his disorder, Colucci told the court, and retaliated when Colucci lodged a defamation complaint against another employee.

Colucci submitted a formal request for medical leave of absence when he developed back pain that led to surgery, he said, ...