The former CFO of UK HealthCare in Lexington, Ky., was awarded $1.75 million by a jury April 20 in a wrongful termination lawsuit, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.
Sergio Melgar, who was hired in 2004 as the organization's CFO and fired in August 2012, alleged that despite his effectiveness in eight years of employment, he was consistently paid less than what was appropriate for his position. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Melgar raised several concerns to human resources in 2012, including a formal complaint about his salary in February 2012.
The lawsuit accuses UK HealthCare of wrongfully terminating Mr. Melgar after he raised those concerns and filed the formal salary complaint. The lawsuit also alleges his duties were reassigned after he began speaking his concerns to HR.
After a three-day trial, the jury found that UK HealthCare wrongfully terminated Mr. Melgar under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act.
"I have to be very happy and pleased that my name is cleared of any improprieties," Mr. Melgar told the Lexington Herald Leader. "I was retaliated against for bringing up, at the time, very legitimate issues."
"We respectfully disagree with the decision reached yesterday, but will need time to further review before making any substantive comment," university spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Herald Leader.