Attorneys Linda Bond Edwards and J. David Marsey of the firm’s Tallahassee office obtained a defense verdict on behalf of the Florida Department of Health in a discrimination and retaliation case alleging unlawful employment practices in the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, on March 24, 2016.  Plaintiff sought at least $200,000 in damages and alleged she was the victim of a hostile work environment and that her July 2013 termination was improperly motivated by her national origin and religion and in retaliation for making complaints of unlawful employment practices, using leave under the Family Medical Leave Act and for making protected disclosures under Florida’s Public Whistle-blower Act.  The Department denied that the plaintiff was subjected to a hostile work environment or that it acted with any improper motivation.  Instead, the Department terminated the employee for workplace misconduct and rule violations.  The jury returned a defense verdict in approximately one hour after four days of trial.