Pasadena : JPL Job Bias Suit Appealed

A former Jet Propulsion Laboratory employee whose racial discrimination lawsuit against the federal facility was dismissed has appealed his case to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

U.S. District Judge Lourdes G. Baird dismissed the lawsuit by Gregory Richard, an African-American mechanical engineer, on March 3. Richard was seeking $200 million in damages, alleging that his March, 1991, termination violated affirmative action laws.

JPL has maintained that Richard, hired in July, 1990, as a quality control engineer, was let go because of budget constraints.

JPL has asked Baird to order Richard to pay more than $5,600 in court costs and $60,000 in attorney fees. California law allows parties in a civil action to recover defense costs if the lawsuit is determined to be frivolous.