Grocery chain hit with $30 million harassment award

SAN DIEGO--A San Diego jury has awarded $30 million in punitive damages to six current and former female employees of an Escondido, Calif., Ralph's Grocery Co. store in a sexual harassment case.

The verdict is believed to be the largest-ever non-class action multiparty punitive damage award for sexual harassment in the United States, according to employment attorneys.

Attempts to reach Compton, Calif.-based Ralph's Grocery for comment were unsuccessful.

The verdict, handed down April 5, is the latest development in a six-year legal battle.The case, Gober vs. Ralph's Grocery Co., was originally filed in 1996 in San Diego County Superior Court. A jury in 1998 found Ralph's liable for gender harassment and failure to prevent gender harassment, and it awarded the six women $550,000 in compensatory damages and $3.3 million in punitive damages. A judge, however, ordered a new trial to determine punitive damages, on the grounds of juror misconduct.

One juror in that case was a shareholder of Ralph's parent company, Cincinnati-based The Kroger Co., said Philip Kay, a San Francisco attorney who represented the plaintiffs.