Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
A Ventura County jury awarded $27,318.76 to a woman who was not reinstated to her job as a recruiter for a Simi Valley temporary employment agency after suffering a fall, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing reported Monday.
Shannon Ortiz was eight months pregnant when she had to be hospitalized briefly after a fall, but her doctor later cleared her to return to work, saying she was capable of "performing the essential functions of her job with no restrictions," the fair employment agency said in a statement.
Instead, 25th Century Services Inc. placed Ortiz on leave for the duration of her pregnancy, claiming she was not physically capable of performing her assigned duties, the statement continued.
Jurors ruled Ortiz was discriminated against because she was pregnant, and ordered the company to pay $20,000 in punitive damages, $4,000 for emotional distress, $2,318.76 in economic damages and $1,000 for future emotional distress. Ortiz, formerly of Simi Valley, now lives in Las Vegas.
The verdict was issued about two weeks ago, but the agency announced it Monday.
NATION
Netflix offers $1 million prize to improve system
Online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. wants recommendations on how to improve its movie recommendation system, and is dangling a $1 million reward as an incentive.
The prize, offered in a contest that began Monday, is part of Netflix's effort to sharpen its competitive edge as it continues a bitter duel with Blockbuster Inc. and prepares for an anticipated onslaught of services that make it easier to download movies onto computer hard drives.
To win the prize, a software program must improve the accuracy of Netflix's current movie recommendation system by at least 10 percent.
Biotech firm Gilead plans to buy drug maker
Gilead Sciences Inc., a manufacturer of drugs for HIV, announced plans Monday to purchase Myogen Inc. for about $2.5 billion in cash, signaling its growing interest in developing pulmonary drugs.
Foster City, Calif.-based Gilead said it would pay Myogen shareholders $52.50 per share, a premium of 50 percent over the stock's closing price Friday of $35.08.
The announcement sent shares of Myogen, based in the Denver suburb of Westminster, up 46.6 percent to a 52-week high during trading. The company's shares closed up $16.36 to $51.44 Monday. Gilead's shares dropped $4.49, or 6.5 percent, to $64.28.
Myogen is developing a drug called ambrisentan to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Good Karma in Ventura
Christine Blosdale has opened a public relations firm in Ventura, Good Karma, with the intention of raising awareness about businesses that make a positive impact on the planet.
postCount('bd1vrail03.fc5038015'); | postCountTB('bd1vrail03.fc5038015');
To see more of InsideVC.com, or to subscribe, go to www.InsideVC.com.
� 2006 InsideVC.com. All Rights Reserved.
