Man Gets $3.5 Million Settlement For Being Fired Because He Was Gay

Minnesota banking executive Stephen Habberstad, came out in his late 50s, to his wife and family which not only left him on the outs with his relatives, but also got fired from the family run banking business Country Bankers, Inc., — and  despite claims from the family that they terminated him for legitimate business reasons, Steele County District Judge Joseph Bueltel  ruled last month that the real reason that Habberstad was fired, is because he is gay.

Bueltel  awarded $3.5 million to Habberstad, according to NewNowNext: $798,733 in back pay, $25,000 for emotional distress and at least $100,000 a year for life, given an estimated life expectancy of 21 years.

The award of $3.5 million is believed to be the largest payout in Minnesota history to one person for a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit.

Minnesota is one of 31 states a state that has anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. If Stephen Habberstad,  would have lived in one of the other 29 other states, his family could have fired him completely legally and he would not have gotten a penny