Lockheed Worker Keeps $1.56M for Age Bias, but Not $50M Damages

A jury’s award of $50 million in punitive damages to a Lockheed Martin Corp. engineer who was fired at age 66 is excessive and needs review, but the worker can keep $1.56 million awarded for age bias, a federal judge ruled.

A retrial is required to determine how much, if anything, the company should pay to deter such misconduct in the future, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey said Dec. 18. Robert Braden didn’t show that “upper management” at Lockheed knew that he was placed in a group by himself when managers were deciding who should ...