Citing federal cap, judge cuts landmark $240M verdict for mentally disabled workers to $1.6M

IOWA CITY, Iowa — A judge has slashed a landmark $240 million verdict to $1.6 million for 32 mentally disabled workers who suffered years of abuse by their caretakers.

U.S. Senior Judge Charles Wolle entered judgment Tuesday against Henry's Turkey Service of Goldthwaite, Texas. Wolle says he must limit the judgment to $50,000 per employee, the cap included in the Americans with Disabilities Act for businesses with fewer than 101 workers.

Jurors found May 1 that Henry's discriminated against the men, who were hired out to work at an Iowa turkey processing plant, and awarded each $7.5 million in damages. The verdict was the largest in the history of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which brought the case.

Wolle scheduled a June 10 hearing to consider how much interest is owed on the judgment.

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