A Hudson County judge vacated a $500,000 jury award for a former employee of Bayonne City Hall after ruling in favor of the city on grounds of a directed verdict.
Judge Kimberly Espinales-Maloney issued her decision shortly after a six-week trial, during which a jury found in favor of Sincerrae Ross, awarding her the sum for alleged emotional distress arising from a hostile work environment. The judge clarified that her ruling did not address the motion concerning claims of retaliation but sought to ensure a fair deliberation process by allowing the jury to evaluate the evidence presented.
In her April 1, 2025, verdict, Espinales-Maloney determined that Ross’s claims did not satisfy the criteria established under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD). The suit, initiated on December 6, 2019, described a workplace environment at City Hall as “sexually charged” with pervasive issues related to inappropriate behavior.
The jury found initially that Ross had been subjected to such a hostile work environment, leading to the substantial financial award. However, Judge Espinales-Maloney reviewed the evidence and concluded that the claims presented by Ross did not demonstrate the severity required to substantiate such allegations.
The judge noted specific interactions involving other employees, including comments made by Linda Vanderweerden and others that Ross claimed reflected racial animus. However, Espinales-Maloney maintained that these incidents did not exemplify behavior severe enough to justify the hostile work environment claim, stating that there was no indication that the alleged actions significantly interfered with Ross’s work performance.
Additionally, the judge pointed out that although some actions were racially charged, they did not meet the threshold of being objectively severe or pervasive. The ruling emphasized that Ross had a history of attendance issues and difficulties relating to colleagues that predated the alleged incidents.
Judge Espinales-Maloney also highlighted the absence of an anti-harassment policy within the city but acknowledged that management took steps to investigate the complaints brought forth by Ross. She concluded that the evidence presented failed to show that Ross’s employment conditions were altered in a manner that would have suggested a hostile or abusive environment.
As a result, the court granted Bayonne’s motion for a directed verdict regarding the hostile work environment claim, vacating the jury’s entire $500,000 award.
City spokesman Joe Ryan did not provide immediate comments following the ruling, and attempts to reach Juan Cervantes, Ross’s attorney, were also unsuccessful.
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