Nichole Hoffman v. 10520 Wilshire Owners Association

On October 27, 2011, Linda Miller Savitt, Elsa Banuelos, and Vicky H. Lin received a defense verdict in Nichole Hoffman v. 10520 Wilshire Owners Association. Plaintiff Hoffman alleged discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, failure to pay wages, invasion of privacy, breach of contract, harassment, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Plaintiff was hired by 10520 Wilshire Owners’ Association, a homeowners association, as General Manager for a high-rise condominium building. Plaintiff oversaw a staff and was answerable to the Association’s Board of Directors. Plaintiff was terminated after four years for her exceedingly poor performance and acts of insubordination, including permitting an open house over the express instructions of two Board members, refusing to provide required daily reports, and falsifying an employee’s time clock. Plaintiff claimed that her termination was due to her sex and race and in retaliation for complaining about sex and race harassment. She also alleged that the Association was in breach of an oral contract to terminate her for cause, failed to pay her all wages at the time of her termination, subjected her to sex harassment, invaded her privacy, and forced her to defame herself. The Association denied all allegations. During mediation, Plaintiff demanded $2 million. The Association offered $5,000. During trial, Plaintiff’s demand dropped to $675,000 and then $375,000.