Tennessee § 4-21-313 - Limitations on compensatory damage amounts — Exclusions from application of limits.

§ 4-21-313. Limitations on compensatory damage amounts — Exclusions from application of limits.

For any cause of action arising under § 4-21-401, § 8-50-103, or § 50-1-304, the sum of the amount of compensatory damages awarded for future pecuniary losses, emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and other nonpecuniary losses, shall not exceed, for each complaining party: In the case of a cause of action arising under § 50-1-304 and an employer who has less than eight (8) employees at the time the cause of action arose, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000); In the case of an employer who has eight (8) or more but fewer than fifteen (15) employees at the time the cause of action arose, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000); In the case of an employer who has more than fourteen (14) and fewer than one hundred one (101) employees at the time the cause of action arose, fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); In the case of an employer who has more than one hundred (100) and fewer than two hundred one (201) employees at the time the cause of action arose, one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000); In the case of an employer who has more than two hundred (200) and fewer than five hundred one (501) employees at the time the cause of action arose, two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000); and In the case of an employer who has more than five hundred (500) employees at the time the cause of action arose, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). The limitations in subsection (a) shall not apply to backpay, interest on backpay, front pay, or any equitable relief. The court shall not inform a jury of the limitations in subsection (a), but the court shall conform any judgment to comply with the limitations. For the purpose of determining when the cause of action arose under subsection (a), the court shall determine the number of employees employed by the employer on the date when the adverse employment action giving rise to the employee's claim occurred. Acts 2014, ch. 995, § 2; 2016, ch. 593, § 1. Compiler's Notes. For the preamble to the act concerning employment litigation in Tennessee, please refer to Acts 2014, ch. 995. Acts 2014, ch. 995, § 3 provided that the act shall apply to all actions accruing on or after July 1, 2014. Acts 2014, ch. 995, § 7 provided that nothing in the act shall require the Tennessee human rights commission, created pursuant to § 4-21-201 , to provide training or education in addition to its current operations. Acts 2016, ch. 593, § 2 provided that the act, which amended this section, shall apply to causes of action accruing on or after March 10, 2016. Amendments. The 2016 amendment in (a), added (1) and redesignated former (1) through (5) as present (2) through (6). Effective Dates. Acts 2016, ch. 593, § 2. March 10, 2016.