Calif. Woman Spanked at Work Sues for $1.2M

[Haole Girl]

Calif. Woman Spanked at Work Sues for $1.2M

By JULIANA BARBASSA, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 21 minutes ago

FRESNO, Calif. - Lawyers for a woman who was spanked in front of her co-workers as part of what her employer said was a camaraderie-building exercise asked a jury Wednesday for at least $1.2 million for the humiliation she claimed to have suffered.

Janet Orlando, 53, quit her job at the home security company Alarm One Inc. in Fresno and sued, alleging discrimination, assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060427/ap_on_re_us/spanking_trial

[MercutioATC]

1. She couldn't have just refused to participate?

I'm not defending these ridiculous "team-building" things, but couldn't she have simply said "I'm not comfortable doing that"?

[Eric J in MN]

6. Maybe, but when you're dependent on a company for a paycheck,

there isn't necessary a bright line between what is voluntary and what isn't.

[rpannier]

2. That's too bizarre

At first I thought it was some S&M style job.

A security company? Camaraderie-building????
I fail to see how Alarm One can justify this. Maybe shill o'lielly will go to bat for them.

[Pirate Smile]

3. more - this Company must be full of idiots.

"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.

Lawyers for Alarm One, an Anaheim-based, 300-employee company, said the spankings were part of a voluntary program to build camaraderie and were not discriminatory because they were given to both male and female workers.

"This is being done for one reason and one reason only — money," said K. Poncho Baker, the company's lawyer."

[madeline_con]

7. Okay, that's just wrong.

And really creepy. :puke:

[Eric J in MN]

4. I hope she wins.

Employment should have nothing to do with bizarre exercises like that.

[Haole Girl]

5. My thoughts exactly

employers go too far sometimes. And when they do, there should be other options for employees besides quitting!

[rodeodance]

8. Management should be fired.

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.

Lawyers for Alarm One, an Anaheim-based, 300-employee company, said the spankings were part of a voluntary program to build camaraderie and were not discriminatory because they were given to both male and female workers.

"This is being done for one reason and one reason only — money," said K. Poncho Baker, the company's lawyer.

[IndyJones]

9. They are not a frat or sorority...they are an employer! I hope she wins!

[blonndee]

10. If that were me I'd sue for a HELL of a lot more.

I hope she wins. That is just sick and humiliating.