Survey: U.S. Jurors Against Business From The Start

If the alternate to the settlement of an employment lawsuit is a jury trial, companies would be well advised to consider the out-of-court settlement. A survey released last month by DecisionQuest, Torrance, Calif., found that 76% of potential jurors agreed with the statement that "executives of big companies often try to cover up the harm that they do." What's more, 30% said large awards are needed to send a message to corporations. Other findings: Nearly 40% of those surveyed believe that those who file sex or race discrimination lawsuits have been wronged, and 67% believe that an employee's ideas belong to the employee -- not the employer. The survey also found that between one-fourth and one-third of potential jurors have a built-in bias against asbestos and tobacco companies, firearms and tire manufacturers, breast implant makers, and hospitals. The age group most of big business? 18-to-24-year-olds (44%)