Bill > A02865

This bill amends the Civil Practice Law and Rules and the Executive Law to provide that courts shall not reduce jury awards as excessive in employment discrimination actions unless the court finds exceptional circumstances that compel the conclusion that the jury was influenced by partiality, prejudice, mistake, or corruption. The bill establishes a presumption that the jury's verdict in such cases is correct, and prohibits courts from using the concept of "material deviation from what would be reasonable compensation" or a judge's personal knowledge or experiences from prior cases to limit any award. The bill also specifies that these provisions are substantive in nature and shall be applied in any employment discrimination action under the Executive Law, regardless of the forum.