Department of Fair Employment & Housing v. Ottovich

# Department of Fair Employment & Housing v. Ottovich **What Happened** The Department of Fair Employment & Housing brought a discrimination case against Harvey Ottovich involving housing. When Ottovich failed to respond to the updated complaint filed against him, the court treated his silence as an admission that the discrimination claims were true. **What the Court Decided** The court ruled in favor of the Department of Fair Employment & Housing. A jury determined that Ottovich owed $8,705 in damages to the person who experienced discrimination. An appeals court later confirmed this decision was correct. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that housing discrimination is taken seriously under California law. When employers or landlords ignore legal complaints against them, courts can assume the accusations are valid and award money to victims. Workers and residents facing unfair treatment based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or other factors have legal protection. Failing to respond to discrimination claims can result in financial penalties, making it important for accused parties to take such matters seriously.