Kentucky jury awards $5.3M in UPS discrimination lawsuit

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Eight African-American men have won a $5.3 million jury award in a lawsuit over claims that they endured a hostile work environment at UPS in Lexington, Kentucky, and that an effigy of an African-American UPS driver was hung from a ceiling.

The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/1ScQ156 ) reports a Fayette County Circuit Court jury found UPS discriminated against one of the eight and that the company retaliated against two men after they complained.

Spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg at UPS corporate headquarters in Atlanta said the company is disappointed with the decision and is considering appeal options.

When the suit was filed in 2014, a UPS spokeswoman said the dummy was part of safety training for drivers and not intended to offend anyone.

The verdict was returned Thursday after about eight hours of deliberations.

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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.