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Jury finds Boston Water and Sewer Commission retaliated against manager who filed race complaint

Jury finds Boston Water and Sewer Commission retaliated against manager who filed race complaint

Rule Changes Boston, MA local

A Suffolk Superior Court jury awarded Terrance Williams $1.32 million for retaliation; the commission will appeal, and city councilors want a hearing

October 21st, 2026: Councilors call for hearing on BWSC verdict

Overview

Updated Oct 25

A Suffolk County jury found the Boston Water and Sewer Commission retaliated against Terrance Williams, a longtime employee, and awarded him $1 million, or more than $1.32 million with interest. Jurors rejected his claims that the agency underpaid him and denied him promotions because he is Black.

City councilors Flynn, Worrell and Mejia called on October 21 for a hearing on the verdict. The commission plans to appeal, and its lawyer, Brian Kelly, says Williams was fired for working a second job on commission time.

Why it matters

Boston's water agency owes $1.32 million for punishing an employee who complained of racial discrimination, and city councilors now want a hearing.

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Key Indicators

$1.32M
Total judgment
$1 million verdict, including $400,000 in punitive damages; interest brings the total above $1.32 million.
$400K
Punitive damages
Jurors found the retaliation was 'extreme and outrageous,' according to Williams's lawyer.
$600K
Compensatory damages
The jury awarded $600,000 in compensatory damages on top of the punitive amount, for $1 million total.

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People Involved

TW
Terrance Williams
Former manager at Boston Water and Sewer Commission, plaintiff
Won a $1 million retaliation verdict, worth more than $1.32 million with interest; BWSC says it will appeal, and city councilors have asked for a hearing on the case

Organizations Involved

Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Municipal utility
Found liable for retaliation against Terrance Williams; plans to appeal the $1.32 million judgment, which city councilors want examined at a hearing

The municipal agency that supplies drinking water and sewer service to about 1 million people in Boston.

Timeline

2022 October 2026

5 events Latest: October 21st, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Councilors call for hearing on BWSC verdict

    Latest Government

    Boston city councilors Flynn, Worrell and Mejia requested a hearing on the $1 million retaliation verdict against the Boston Water and Sewer Commission.

  2. BWSC says it will appeal the retaliation verdict

    Legal

    Commission attorney Brian Kelly said BWSC plans to appeal the retaliation finding, calling the verdict unlikely to stand, while saying he was pleased the discrimination claims were rejected.

  3. Jury awards Williams $1.32 million

    Legal

    Jury finds retaliation, awards $1.32 million; second BWSC discrimination suit pending.

  4. BWSC fires Williams after race complaint

    Employment

    Commission fires Williams, who says it was retaliation for his discrimination complaint.

  5. Williams sues BWSC over treatment of Black employees

    Legal

    Williams filed suit in 2022, alleging the commission had a longstanding practice of underpaying and underpromoting Black employees.

Scenarios

1

BWSC appeals the $1.32 million verdict

Likely Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: Employment law firm Katz Banks Kumin LLP, which has documented large verdicts later reduced on appeal

The commission has 30 days from the judgment to file a notice of appeal with the Massachusetts Appeals Court. Municipal agencies often appeal sizable verdicts, and the appeal would test whether the jury correctly rejected the time-clock defense. If no appeal is filed, the verdict becomes final and the commission must pay.

2

Appeals court reduces or overturns the damages

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Katz Banks Kumin LLP, which cited a $20.5 million Pennsylvania verdict cut to $1.5 million and a $238 million Washington verdict reduced

If BWSC appeals, the Massachusetts Appeals Court could overturn the liability finding, reduce the punitive award as excessive, or let the verdict stand. Race discrimination claims under federal law carry no statutory cap on damages, which is how this award reached six figures. The court could also order a new trial on damages.

3

Second BWSC discrimination suit ends in a verdict or settlement

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Universal Hub, which reported the commission 'still faces a separate racial and sexual discrimination suit by its former human-resources' employee

The former HR employee's suit alleging racial and sexual discrimination is still pending. It could settle, go to trial and produce a verdict, or be dismissed. A second large award would compound the commission's exposure and pressure it to change hiring and promotion practices.

4

Boston City Council holds a hearing on the BWSC verdict

Likely Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Boston city councilors Flynn, Worrell and Mejia, who requested the hearing on October 21

The three councilors asked for a hearing on the retaliation verdict and the commission's record on discrimination complaints. A hearing would put the agency's employment practices before the council in public; the commission has not said whether it will appear voluntarily.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

December 2024

Mohamed v. SHRM (2024)

A Colorado jury awarded $11.5 million to Rehab Mohamed, an Egyptian Arab senior instructional designer who said the Society for Human Resource Management fired her in 2020, months after she complained about racial discrimination. The jury found discrimination and retaliation.

Then

The jury awarded $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages.

Now

The verdict became a cautionary tale for HR organizations, showing that retaliation after a discrimination complaint can bring large punitive awards.

Why this matters now

Like BWSC, SHRM is an institution that sets workplace standards; the verdict showed juries punish employers that retaliate against employees reporting bias.

November 2025

Davis v. Merck (2025)

A Manhattan federal jury awarded $6 million to Richard Davis, a Black former IT director, after finding Merck fired him because of his race. Davis had removed a White contractor from a project, was investigated, and was terminated months later.

Then

The jury awarded $1 million back pay, $2 million front pay, $1 million in compensatory damages, and $2 million in punitive damages.

Now

The case reinforced that juries award large punitive damages when decision-makers treat minority employees differently from white colleagues.

Why this matters now

Shows the recent pattern of sizable race discrimination verdicts against major employers, similar to the Williams award.

April 2024

Holmes v. American HomePatient (2024)

A Pennsylvania federal jury awarded $20.5 million to Patricia Holmes, a Black customer service representative subjected to racial slurs and a hostile work environment. The jury found the company acted maliciously.

Then

The court reduced the $20 million punitive award to $1 million, leaving a $1.5 million total.

Now

Shows that large punitive awards are often cut on appeal to comply with constitutional due-process limits.

Why this matters now

Suggests the $1.32 million BWSC award could be reduced on appeal, though its size is modest compared with the largest verdicts.

Sources

(6)
Universal Hub Faruqi & Faruqi LLP HR Brew Boston.com State Affairs Pro / State House News Service Todd & Weld