HCA Must Pay Former Workers, Jury Rules
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HCA Inc., the largest U.S. hospital operator, must pay $26.5 million to two former contract workers who claimed the company defamed them and harmed their attempt to start a competing business, a Tennessee jury said.
Alexander Batsuk and Ryan Howard were working for outside contractors doing business with HCA’s information technology and services unit when they tried to set up their own company, their attorney said. HCA fired the two and in September 2002 sued them, claiming theft of trade secrets. The contract workers then sued HCA for defamation.
The jury rejected HCA’s trade secrets claim and found the company had defamed them. Shares of Nashville-based HCA rose 77 cents to $42.50 on the NYSE.
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