A San Francisco
man who says he was devastated after he was identified as
gay on a national Spanish-language radio show will be paid
$270,000 by Univision Radio, an arbitrator has ruled.
Roberto Hernandez, 45, was driving to work in 2002
when he received a phone call from a man who said that
he met Hernandez at a San Francisco gay bar. The caller then
announced that the conversation was being broadcast live on
the Raul Brindis and Pepito Show, based in Houston.
Hernandez worked
for the local station that broadcast the show and sold
advertising for the program. He said he was so depressed by
the incident that he could no longer work. "It's a
nightmare," Hernandez said. "How do you live with such
an embarrassment in your life? How do you live when
someone makes your life so insignificant?"
Hernandez had
been discreet about disclosing his sexual orientation
before the incident, not even telling his family. Arbitrator
Rebecca Westerfield found on Friday that Hernandez had
suffered emotional distress but dismissed claims of
sexual harassment. She said that Hernandez had no
choice but to quit his job and was owed workers'
compensation.
Hernandez was
awarded $250,000 and nearly $20,000 in economic damages
because of the emotional distress that led to seven months
of unemployment after quitting his job. Univision
attorneys declined to comment on the case. (AP)