Sacramento Superior Court jurors ruled last week that SMUD management blocked the career advancement of four Black plaintiffs and awarded the workers roughly $6.2 million in damages in their racial discrimination lawsuit .
In a statement Wednesday, leaders of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District said they would appeal the verdicts, “SMUD disagrees with and is disappointed in the outcome in this case. … SMUD has a longstanding, deep and visible commitment to ensuring we have a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.”
If the utility fails to prevail on appeal, ratepayers would have to pay the judgment plus interest of 7% annually for the period that payment was delayed, said Michael Justice, the attorney for the plaintiffs…