How exactly does that work as a team building excercise?

I think I'm just refrain from thinking/commenting on this one any further until and unless we get more details about what happened. I can certainly imagine situations that might necessitate therapy (and $1.6MIL) afterwards, but I can't see any company actually putting its employees into those situations. I can also imagine plenty of situations that could described the way the article described it, but would still be in good fun. I somehow doubt we'll ever get more information on this one...

So, would you let yourself be spanked by a guy for $1.7 million, 'cause I'm considering it.

I'm also not feeling much sympathy for the guy or the company here. I mean, if you're just that stupid, losing that kind of money pretty much guarantees it won't happen again.

Just do a Google search and you'll see some local coverage of this. The company had some kind of outdoor competitions between sales teams. The losers, both men and women, were dressed in diapers, fed baby food and spanked with competitors signs while the winners yelled and made fun of them.

That's not team building, that's sponsored sadism. There is no way I'd stay with a company that did this. They are lucky they didn't have 30 employees suing them blind. Can you imagine being told you were going to go through this to raise your morale?

Absolutely stupid. Train your employees to humiliate each other as a team-builder? Totally freaking stupid.

Agreed. If I had been on the jury, I would have awarded the punitive damages that high as well. That's totally unacceptable behavior, especially when promoted by your employer with the implicit understanding that if you don't participate, you will be fired.

No. No. Being employed does not mean you should leave your dignity at the door.

I'll be sure to tell the waiters at TGI Friday's that, or maybe my local Hooters girl.

I thought they would lose more. Behavior like this, *especially* in CA, the most worker-friendly labor law state, is complete idiocy. I'd can everyone in management who had any knowledge of this 'team building' if I were on the board.

I doubt she suffered to the tune of 450k. There are people who lose limbs who get less money for pain, suffering and emotional distress. And punitive damages should go to the state for some social programs or some kind of victim's support fund. I hate when someone gets rich for BS like this. Mostly because none of my employers are ever stupid enough to try spanking the employees, cause I'd love the chance to get rich this way.

It may be humiliating, and she may need a little therapy afterwards, but $450k is like saying that dying in war is less harsh, as the highest life insurance the military offers is $400k.

According to the LA Times, the punative phase of the trial hasn't even started yet so that $1.2 million may be premature.

http://www.latimes.com/business/careers/work/la-me-spank29apr29,1,714834...

According to Reuters, the padding occured whenever you were late for a sales meeting, not just at the camraderie building excercise.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid...

I think the award is excessive but anything that will accelerate putting this company out of business may very well be justified. Wearing diapers. getting spanked. having to eat baby food. Are you kidding me!?! How do you come up with that and then decide it is a good idea? I'm having a hard time picturing a business meeting where these ideas are seriously contemplated by management. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps Fletcher used to work there.

<3 PBF

Baby food can be quite good, actually.

But getting rich that easily beats thet best baby food.

Get killed in Iraq while serving your country, 400k.

Get spanked at work, 1,700k.

Uhm. I agree with Funkenpants, PurEvil and Hex.

So she agreed to participate in an activity knowing it including spanking and then wants a payout afterwards? I'm sorry, noone held a gun to her head. As stupid as this morale-building activity was, nothing kept these people from just giving the team leaders the finger. If my boss said I'd either take a spanking or be fired, I'd quit. It's as simple as that.

Money deserved: $0.00.

Oh, I know the motives for punitive damages, and in some cases agree with them. But it should really, as Funkenpants suggested, be employed in something other than enriching people that already got a lot of money for something that in other civilized parts of the world would get you a way lower compensation and a clap on the shoulder with a "Now get over it, unless you really DID need those diapers". Always going on about personal responsibility and so on, and still not expecting people to be grown-ups and stand over this kind of BS (with a down-to-earth compensation) is what amazes me about the American way of looking at life.