The Civil Rights Act of 1991 added compensatory and punitive damage awards to discrimination cases brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Americans With Disabilities Act. However, to ensure against exorbitant jury awards, the amount of available damages was capped at $50,000 to $300,000, depending on the size of the employer. Plaintiffs who bring racial discrimination claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1866 may be awarded unlimited damages.
The Association is strongly opposed to the elimination of the current caps on compensatory and punitive damages for employment discrimination claims.