A huge jury award for a Nevada City Cal Trans worker who filed a disability harassment lawsuit against the agency. They’ve approved a verdict of $3.3 million for 60-year-old John Barrie, after a 12-day trial in a Nevada County courtroom. Barrie, a staff services analyst at the Nevada City District 3 office, says he’s extremely allergic to various chemicals and scented products, including household cleaners used by janitors. His attorney, Lawrence Bohm, says Barrie was accomodated, from 2005 to 2010. But he says things changed, when a new manager took over. He says Donna Jones told Barrie to stop sending her e-mails, used abusive language, and scented candles were used in his work area…

click to listen to Lawrence Bohm

Bohm says Barrie was later moved to another building, but it had been recently painted and subjected him to more chemicals. He says an inspection of the Nevada City office by the District Safety Department also found several chemicals and scented items that were harmful to Barrie. But he says management was still unresponsive. Then in 2013, he was moved to an office in Marysville where he was also told to do the janitorial work. Barrie filed the lawsuit later that year…

click to listen to Lawrence Bohm

Barrie now has a telecommuting arrangement from his home, though he had previously been told that was not an option, according to Bohm. Jones is no longer the manager. Spokeswoman Liza Whitmore says Cal Trans, quote, “has reviewed the decision and is weighing options for a possible appeal”.