Go Daddy ordered to pay former employee

A federal court jury of eight women agreed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that an employee of Go Daddy Software was terminated after he complained he suffered job discrimination by the Scottsdale- based domain registrar.

The jury reached its decision Friday after four hours of deliberation in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell in Phoenix and awarded the former employee, Youssef Bouamama, $250,000 in punitive damages.

The jury also agreed that Bouamama, a Muslim of Moroccan national origin who speaks Arabic, should receive $5,000 in compensatory damages for ‘‘pain and suffering’’ and $135,000 in lost wages. The EEOC had sought $160,000 in back pay.

Total financial damages could amount to $390,000.

Campbell will decide whether to award lost wages and if Go Daddy Software, which commonly operates under the name GoDaddy.com, and reportedly has more than 3.4 million customers nationally and internationally, failed to keep personnel records as required by federal law.

The EEOC had filed six charges of discrimination against the company, including denial of a management position because of Bouamama’s national origin and religion, but the jury rejected five of the six.

‘‘We are happy with the outcome and thankful the jury was able to come back with the right decision on all discrimination allegations,’’ said Christine Jones, general counsel for GoDaddy.com. The company was represented by the law firm of Littler and Mendelson.

She said GoDaddy.com, headed by Ron Parsons, will appeal the verdict, including the $250,000 in punitive damages.

‘‘We are extremely confident the government presented absolutely nothing to prove its retaliation claim,’’ said Parsons, who testified during the five-day trial. ‘‘Our legal team sees no evidence in the record for that (retaliation) and we will appeal the decision on this claim.’’

Parsons said Bouamama was not fired, but was offered another position in the company’s telephone call center.

Bouamama, a former sales manager for GoDaddy.com,, said he was pleased with the results.

‘‘I believe in the American justice system,’’ said Bouamama of Tempe. ‘‘I love this country. I respect the jury system and am so happy that I got to tell my story. I am also thankful to the EEOC.’’

David Lopez, attorney for the EEOC, said the verdict supported claims of discrimination.

‘‘The evidence told the story,’’ Lopez said. ‘‘Youssef reported discriminatory comments made by managers. However, these reports were ignored by the company. Employers must not ignore warnings that discriminatory conduct is occurring in the workplace.’’

Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC, said not only did GoDaddy.com fail to address the discrimination, it retaliated against Bouamama in violation of federal law.

‘‘The amount of the punitive damages award clearly reflects the seriousness of Go Daddy’s violation,’’ O’Neill said.

GoDaddy.com, at 14455 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, employs more than 500 at its Scottsdale office and has offices in Gilbert and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.