• 12
  • July
    2010

George Lucas is not used to losing. The Hollywood writer, director and producer is known for his iron-fisted control over franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. However, a Marin County jury found against Lucasfilm in a pregnancy discrimination case alleging wrongful termination due to the plaintiff's plans to raise a family.

The plaintiff, Julie Gilman Veronese, filed the lawsuit after she was fired from her position as an assistant to Lucas's estate manager, Sarita Patel. Patel manages the grounds of George Lucas's San Anselmo home.

The problems cited in the wrongful termination lawsuit started just after Veronese was offered a full-time position as Patel's assistant, set to begin following a month-long probationary period. Upon notifying Patel of her pregnancy, Veronese had her starting date delayed.

When she was finally instructed to begin, she was told that the position was being changed to a three-week, temporary position. Concerned that she was being penalized for revealing her pregnancy, Veronese asked Patel for clarification.

The following day, she received a letter notifying her of her termination.

Under California law, it is illegal to ask an interviewee about his or her family plans. Whether or not an individual has children or plans to have children is not relevant to the position and, therefore, employers are precluded from using it to determine eligibility.

In this case, it was revealed that Patel had also spoken in private regarding her hesitance to hire a pregnant assistant. George Lucas denied knowledge of Veronese's employment or termination, therefore escaping the stand.

In total, the jury awarded Veronese more than $113,000 for both economic and non-economic losses. There was no punitive award.

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