Employment lawsuits can generate very intense emotions by both the plaintiff and defendant. We often measure our value as human beings based on the work we do and the income we earn. When that job is taken away from us, especially under circumstances that we think violate the law, it can generate a lot of anger, even rage, against the former employer. Anger can also result if a manager or business owner feels he or she is wrongly accused of breaking the law and his or her name is being dragged through the mud for no good reason.
Larger employers may see an employment case in a less emotional way, as a risk to be managed. The costs of litigation will be weighed against the chances of the possible outcomes and the benefits of putting a case behind them through negotiation. A smaller company, especially a sole proprietorship, may have much more of an emotional investment in the case. The owner may be angry at having been falsely accused and having to spend limited resources on a case that might be seen as an attempt at extortion through the court system.
