Lake Oswego firm fined $148K over firing for jury duty

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A state agency has proposed more than $148,000 in penalties for a Lake Oswego company after an employee claimed she was fired for missing work for jury duty.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries found that Navex Global violated state laws that require employers to excuse workers for jury service.

Sharae Epperheimer filed a complaint after she was fired in 2016.

The bureau says Epperheimer maintained residency in California and was called for jury duty in Los Angeles.

The bureau says the company did not document any other performance issues before firing Epperheimer.

The bureau proposed penalties of $120,000 for emotional damages and more than $28,000 for lost wages and expenses.

The company denies the allegation, saying its policies allow employees to miss work for jury duty.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com