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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 9 Februari 2022

UCLA settles gynecologist sex abuse suit for $246 million

tigating Heaps in 2017 and 1983 and 2018, Heaps groped more than 1,000 people who
he retired the next year after women, simulated inter- say they were sexually as-
the school declined to renew course with an ultrasound saulted by a sports doctor, Dr.
his contract. Heaps also was probe or made inappropriate Robert Anderson, during his
criminally charged last year comments during examina- nearly four-decade career at
with 21 counts of sexual of- tions at the UCLA student the school. He died in 2008.
fenses involving seven wom- health center, Ronald Reagan
en. He has pleaded not guilty UCLA Medical Center or his Last March, UCLA’s cross-
and denied wrongdoing. on-campus office. town rival, the University of
Southern California, agreed
John C. Manly, one of the Under the class-action settle- to a $852 million settle-
plaintiffs’ attorneys, said Uni- ment, some 6,600 former ment with more than 700
versity of California system patients were to receive be- women who accused its
regents made the decision tween $2,500 and $250,000, longtime campus gynecolo-
(AP) — The University of abused by Dr. James Heaps to resolve the claims rather with the higher amounts in- gist, Dr. George Tyndall, of
California has agreed to over a 35-year career. than “unnecessarily inflicting volving the extent of bodily sexual abuse. The university
pay $246.3 million to settle further damage upon these injury and emotional distress reached a $215 million settle-
allegations that hundreds The lawsuit said that the uni- survivors” and it should be a as decided by a panel of ex- ment in a separate suit.
of women were sexually versity ignored decades of model for other universities perts.
abused by a former UCLA complaints and deliberately facing similar claims. Tyndall, who worked at the
gynecologist, lawyers and concealed abuse. UCLA didn’t acknowledge school for nearly 30 years,
the university announced “This historic settlement al- wrongdoing in reaching that has pleaded not guilty to
Tuesday. “The conduct alleged to have lows these brave women to settlement but did agree to dozens of sexual misconduct
been committed by Heaps is achieve their litigation goals change its procedures for criminal counts.
The settlement was reached reprehensible and contrary of accountability and com- preventing, identifying, in-
with the assistance of a pri- to the University’s values,” a pensation, paving the path vestigating and dealing with The USC settlements far
vate mediator after substan- UCLA statement said. “Our for their continued healing,” sexual misconduct. surpassed one announced in
tial litigation, the parties said first and highest obligation Manly said in a statement. 2018 by Michigan State Uni-
in a statement. will always be to the commu- The latest lawsuit settlement versity. That $500 million
nities we serve, and we hope The lawsuit was one of hun- follows similar massive pay- agreement — considered the
Initial news of the settlement this settlement is one step to- dreds filed that allege abuse outs by universities over al- largest of its kind at that time
that did not include the spe- ward providing healing and by Heaps. UCLA settled a legations that doctors abused — settled claims from more
cific amount had been an- closure for the plaintiffs in- similar lawsuit last year for thousands of patients. than 300 women and girls
nounced Monday by some volved.” $73 million. who said they were assaulted
of the attorneys representing Last month, the University by Larry Nassar, who was a
203 women who said they The University of California, In that case, more than 100 of Michigan announced a campus sports doctor and a
were groped or otherwise Los Angeles, began inves- women said that between $490 million settlement with doctor for USA Gymnastics.

California votes to require paid sick leave for virus cases

(AP) — When Crystal Oro- Since then, omicron — a Island and Washington — are) tight on money,” she cal restaurant or a nonprofit
zco got sick with the corona- more contagious version have paid sick leave laws that, said. that’s barely holding on.”
virus last month, she missed of the coronavirus — has while not COVID-specific,
nearly two weeks’ worth of spread rapidly throughout can be used cover time off Many Republicans voted But Monday’s action wasn’t
her salary as a shift leader at the world. The variant set from the coronavirus. against the proposal because all bad news for businesses.
a fast food restaurant and had a record in California for of how much it would cost In 2020, when the pandemic
to ask family members for a the average number of new Orozco is a member of Fight business owners who are al- threatened to upend the Cal-
loan to help pay her rent. cases and contributed to an for $15, a group advocating ready struggling with a pan- ifornia’s economy, the Leg-
increase in hospitalizations, for a $15 minimum wage demic-fueled labor shortage, islature raised taxes on busi-
“My check was literally $86,” mostly among the unvacci- and union rights for fast food inflation and disruptions to nesses to help avoid a deficit.
she said. “I was like, ‘Oh my nated population. worker. She said she wasn’t the supply chain. Those tax increases were
god.’” offered paid time off when scheduled to expire next year.
Labor unions have been she got sick. Republican Assemblymem- But Monday, lawmakers vot-
Now, Orozco is likely to get pressuring their Democratic ber Vince Fong from Ba- ed to end them one year ear-
that money back. The Cali- allies in the Legislature to At least six of the 16 people kersfield said the bill is a ly, saving businesses roughly
fornia Legislature passed a renew the state’s sick leave who work at her restaurant “financial burden that could $5.5 billion this year.
bill Monday requiring many law — culminating in a deal — more than one-third of bankrupt a local store, a lo-
companies to give workers reached last month between the workforce — had coro-
up to two weeks of paid time Gov. Gavin Newsom and navirus symptoms or missed
off if they get sick from the legislative leaders. Lawmak- work because of the virus, ac-
coronavirus. The bill is ret- ers approved the bill Monday cording to a complaint filed
roactive to Jan. 1, so Orozco and sent it to Newsom, who by the workers with state and
could be eligible for backpay is expected to sign it into law. local officials. The complaint
for the days she missed when is still pending, Orozco said.
she was sick. When he does, it will make
California the fourth state Orozco said she and her hus-
At the start of the pandemic, to require paid time off for band had to skip their car
state and federal laws re- workers who get sick with insurance payment and used
quired most employers to the coronavirus. Similar borrowed money to help pay
give workers paid time off for mandates are still in effect in rent. She said the new bill,
the coronavirus. But many of Massachusetts, Colorado and once signed into law, will al-
those laws expired as more New York, according to the low her to “know I’m able to
people got vaccinated and National Conference of State pay back my family that let
case numbers declined. Cali- Legislatures. me borrow that money.”
fornia’s law expired in Sep-
tember. Five other states — Nevada, “It’s going to help everybody
New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode in the same industry (that