SHRM, the world's largest HR group, has been hit with an $11.5 million verdict in a racial discrimination lawsuit

"A jury on Friday issued an $11.5 million verdict against the world's largest HR organization over allegations it had racially discriminated and retaliated against a former employee. The Society for Human Resource Management, known as SHRM, was found liable for racial discrimination and retaliation and hit with a ruling of $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million for punitive damages, according to Ariel DeFazio, a lawyer for the plaintiff. SHRM said it plans to appeal the decision. "Today's decision does not reflect the facts, the law, or the truth of how SHRM operates," the trade group said in a statement. "We have acted with integrity, transparency, and in full alignment with our values and obligations.""

"SHRM was sued in 2022 by Rehab Mohamed, who worked at the trade group as an instructional designer from 2016 to 2020. The case was tried over the course of five days in a Colorado federal court. "The optics are bad because they've held themselves out as an authority on best practices," said Alice K. Jump, an employment attorney and partner at law firm Reavis Page Jump. Mohamed said in her suit that she was racially discriminated against by a white supervisor and faced retaliation for complaining to management."

"She said she raised concerns about racial discrimination and retaliation with leadership, including SHRM's CEO, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., and its head of human resources, throughout the summer of 2020. While testifying on December 4, Taylor said he wasn't involved in Mohamed's termination."

A Colorado federal jury awarded $11.5 million to a former Society for Human Resource Management employee after finding the organization liable for racial discrimination and retaliation. The verdict consisted of $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. The plaintiff, Rehab Mohamed, worked at SHRM as an instructional designer from 2016 to 2020 and sued in 2022; the trial lasted five days. Mohamed alleged discrimination by a white supervisor and retaliation after she complained to leadership, including the CEO. SHRM said it will appeal and maintained that it acted with integrity and transparency. An employment attorney noted the optics are bad given SHRM's role promoting best practices.

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