A federal jury in Manhattan has awarded former Equinox manager Röbynn Europe $11.25 million after finding that the luxury fitness company subjected her to a hostile work environment and unlawfully terminated her because of her race and gender.
The verdict marks a significant victory in a closely watched employment discrimination case that raised allegations of racism, sexism, and corporate indifference within one of the nation’s most recognizable high-end fitness brands.
Europe, a former professional bodybuilder, worked between 2018 and 2019 at an Equinox location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where she supervised personal trainers. According to court filings, she repeatedly complained about racist and sexually inappropriate behavior by colleagues but alleged that the company failed to properly investigate or address her concerns.
After less than a year on the job, Equinox terminated her employment, citing excessive tardiness. The company argued that Europe had been late 47 times over a 10-month period.
Europe, however, maintained that the stated reason for her firing was merely a pretext and that the real motivation behind her dismissal was discrimination based on race and gender.
A jury of five women and three men ultimately sided with Europe, reaching a liability verdict in her favor after little more than an hour of deliberations.
The following day, jurors awarded her $1.25 million in compensatory damages for emotional distress and $10 million in punitive damages designed to punish and deter unlawful conduct. An additional $16,000 in back pay had previously been agreed upon by both parties.
The case, Robynn Europe v. Equinox Holdings, Inc. et al., was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
During the damages phase of the trial, Europe testified that the alleged discriminatory environment had severe consequences for her mental health. According to testimony presented in court, Equinox’s failure to address the workplace culture contributed to a significant worsening of symptoms related to bulimia, an eating disorder she had battled since high school and which ultimately required intensive treatment.
The verdict carries particular significance given Europe’s background. Before working at Equinox, she attended the prestigious Brearley School on scholarship, where she was one of only two Black students in her class. Despite experiencing forms of social exclusion and bias while growing up, Europe testified that she was unprepared for what she described as overt expressions of prejudice in a modern corporate workplace.
Her attorneys argued that Equinox not only failed to protect her from discriminatory conduct but also retaliated against her after she raised concerns.
Following the verdict, attorney Susan Crumiller, who represented Europe, said the jury had delivered a strong message about corporate accountability.
“We could not be more thrilled with today’s jury award,” Crumiller said in a statement. “The jury sent a loud message to Equinox that there are serious consequences for corporations that permit racist and sexist behavior in the workplace.”
She added that the verdict recognized the profound impact the alleged discrimination had on her client’s well-being.
“We are also pleased that the jury found Equinox’s racism had a severe and lasting impact on Röbynn’s mental health and that she deserved to be compensated for it,” Crumiller said.
Employment law experts note that large punitive damage awards are relatively uncommon and often reflect a jury’s determination that an employer’s conduct warrants a particularly strong rebuke. The $10 million punitive damages component of the award signals that jurors found the allegations especially troubling.
The case also arrives amid continuing national conversations about workplace equity, diversity, and employer responsibility to investigate complaints of harassment and discrimination.
While Equinox may seek post-trial relief or appeal portions of the verdict, the jury’s decision represents a major legal victory for Europe and a reminder of the significant financial and reputational consequences companies can face when discrimination claims are proven in court.
For Europe, the verdict closes a years-long legal battle that transformed a dispute over workplace treatment into one of the most substantial employment discrimination awards recently handed down by a federal jury in New York.
