President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, announcing, that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are, and henceforward shall be free..
Definition of punitive damages. : damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong.
Punitive damages are an amount the employer is ordered to pay for actions that are particularly egregious. Unlike other kinds of damages, which are intended to reimburse you for losses, punitive damages are intended to punish the employer and deter similar behavior by others in the future.