Chevron loses labor suit

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Oct 30, 2007

In a $5.5 million verdict, a federal court jury on Monday held San Ramon-based Chevron Corp. liable for retaliation and wrongful termination of Kiran Pande, a former petroleum engineer with the energy giant.

The San Francisco jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages. Pande claimed that her 15- year career with Chevron went downhill after she reported Rex Mitchell, who was then her supervisor and is now Chevron's chief compliance officer, for sexist conduct.

"Because senior level management were involved in this illegal conduct, I would hope that Chevron would appoint an independent board to investigate their practices," Pande said in a statement.

One of Pande's attorneys, Susan Harriman, a partner with law firm Keker & Van Nest, said Chevron deprived Pande of a promotion, a merit raise, and ultimately her job and benefits.

"Kiran was having a stellar career at Chevron," Harriman said. "She had received nothing but great performance reviews and Chevron considered her an expert in her field." Pande holds a doctorate from Stanford University in petroleum engineering.

"We are disappointed with today's verdict and are focusing on post trial motions and a possible appeal," Chevron said in a prepared release. "Ms. Pande's decision not to move to Houston with her department as part of a corporate restructuring is understandable and we respect her decision. However, in voluntarily electing not to relocate with the rest of her colleagues, Ms. Pande's decision led to her eventual severance. Chevron's Human Resources practices are well regarded."