Atlanta based rent-to-own company Aaron’s was ordered to pay $95 million to a St. Louiswoman; this is the largest settlement for a sexual harassment case ever awarded in the U.S.
Ashley Alford, who is in her mid-20s, was employed at a St. Louis Aaron’s location between 2005 and 2006 where she was subjected to continuous sexual harassment, which eventually led to an assault. According to Alford, her manager Richard Moore subjected her to lewd comments and repeated solicitations for sexual favors in order to keep her employment. This is what sexual harassment lawyers call quid pro quo harassment.
After a year of harassment, Moore assaulted Alford on two separate occasions. The first assault occurred in September 2006, while she was stock room where Moore grabbed her by the ponytail and hit her head with his penis. In October of the same year he once again grabbed her by her hair and held her down while he masturbated on her. He faces criminal charges for the assaults.
Alford tried to report the sexual harassment in May of 2006, but her complaints were never investigated by Aaron’s. Consulting with a sexual harassment attorney would have most likely been a better way to get the company to investigate her allegations.
Even though the jury awarded Alford $95 million, the federal cap on a sexual harassment judgment is a little over $40 million. Aaron’s plans to appeal the verdict, and doesn’t feel that the evidence warranted such a large settlement. The EEOC initially filed the case until Alford hired a sexual harassment lawyer to take over the case.
