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Tagnesi settlement ranked No. 1 for Constructive Discharge, Sexual Orientation Discrimination and No. 29 among California civil rights settlements
Haeggquist & Eck, LLP is proud to announce that the $1.2 million settlement secured by attorneys Aaron Olsen and Anna Schwartz in Tagnesi v. Grossmont Union High School District has received multiple statewide recognitions from TopVerdict for 2025.
The settlement was named the Number 1 Settlement in California in 2025 in the category of:
- Constructive Discharge, Sexual Orientation Discrimination
The result was also ranked No. 29 among the Top 50 Civil Rights Violation Settlements in California in 2025.
Standing Up Against Workplace Discrimination
At the heart of this case was something fundamental: employees should not face discrimination because of their sexual orientation, nor should they be punished for speaking out against injustice.
Rose Tagnesi, a longtime Grossmont Union High School District employee, alleged that she experienced harassment and retaliation because of her LGBTQ+ identity and her advocacy against policies she believed harmed the LGBTQ+ community.
Haeggquist & Eck secured a $1.2 million settlement to resolve the lawsuit. The district did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
For employees who experience discrimination, the consequences can extend far beyond the workplace. Being pushed out of a career can affect financial security, professional identity, family, and a person’s sense of stability. California employment laws provide important protections against sexual orientation discrimination and retaliation for employees who speak out against unlawful workplace conduct.
Recognition for a Meaningful Result
TopVerdict’s 2025 rankings recognize the significance of the result across both employment law and civil rights litigation in California.
We are incredibly proud of Aaron Olsen and Anna Schwartz for their work on this case, grateful for the trust Rose placed in our firm, and honored to see the result recognized as the No. 1 settlement in California for Constructive Discharge, Sexual Orientation Discrimination.
The settlement’s additional ranking at No. 29 among California’s Top 50 Civil Rights Violation Settlements of 2025 underscores the broader civil rights issues at the center of the case.
Results like this reinforce why we do this work: to pursue accountability, protect employee rights, and help create meaningful change beyond a single case.
About Haeggquist & Eck, LLP
Haeggquist & Eck, LLP is a San Diego-based plaintiff’s law firm representing employees and individuals whose rights have been violated. The firm handles cases involving workplace discrimination, sexual orientation and LGBTQ+ discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other civil rights matters.
Founded in 2008, Haeggquist & Eck is committed to standing up for individuals facing powerful employers and institutions and helping clients pursue accountability and justice.
