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Kimberle Malta-Roman is seen on Thursday, April 9, 2015, at the Hudson County freeholders meeting, holding up a The Jersey Journal story about her lawsuit. This week she was awarded $8.45 million by a Hudson County jury.
(Journal file photo)
JERSEY CITY -- A jury awarded a stunning $8.45 million to an employee with the Department of Family Services who claimed Hudson County unfairly fired her because she suffered from depression.
The six-person jury ruled Tuesday that Hudson County discriminated against Kimberle Malta-Roman when it refused to allow her to return to work after medical leave. The county argued Malta-Roman was not capable of performing her job.
In a trial before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Turula, Malta-Roman was awarded $8.45 million -- $2.45 million for compensatory damages such as physical and emotional distress; and $6 million in punitive damages.
The discrimination case was filed following a judge's ruling that Malta-Roman should receive back pay from July 2012 to March 2015. Malta-Roman said the county fired her for taking two extra weeks of medical leave for depression.
Malta-Roman's attorney, Colin Page, of Roseland-based Berkowitz and Lichtstein, said that his firm had offered to settle the case for $600,000, but the county rejected the offer.
"We're very happy with the ruling," Page said.
Hudson County spokesman Jim Kennelly said the county will "immediately begin appealing" the ruling and declined further comment, citing the "ongoing legal matter."
Malta-Roman took a three-month medical leave in 2012 to be treated for depression. On her first day back to work, she became distressed when her coworkers told her administrators said she was seeking treatment for a mental illness.
Malta-Roman asked for two more weeks of leave, which was denied by the county. She then entered a year-long battle with the county over diagnoses and doctors, until she was found fit to return to work.
Page said Malta-Roman is still currently employed with the county and she intends to keep her position in human resources following this week's ruling.
Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.