JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The state of Missouri has paid more than $52 million over the past five years to settle lawsuits against various state agencies, according to information from the attorney general’s office.
Most of the settlements pertain to litigation involving some type of discrimination. Of the 24 settlements paid out since the current state fiscal year began in July, 18 cases involved allegations of discrimination, harassment or retaliation.
The $52 million figure doesn’t include jury awards to plaintiffs that are still on appeal and haven’t been paid out, such as a $7 million judgment against the Department of Labor in a disability discrimination lawsuit. Another pending payout is a $3.7 million judgment against the Missouri Veterans Commission in an age and gender discrimination lawsuit.
The attorney general’s report shows that the Department of Corrections is responsible for roughly $4.5 million of the $52 million.