Whenever someone is arrested or accused of a crime, they may have to deal with the issue of the allegations becoming public knowledge and affecting their reputation and even career opportunities. Even if a person is found innocent, the mere accusation can have a lasting impact. Anyone in Colorado may be interested in the story of a man who lost his job and is now suing for wrongful termination after he was acquitted of charges he believes to have played a role in why he lost his job.
The man had a job in an elementary school working as a facilities manager. He was accused of sexual assault on a child under 16 while he worked at the school. Years later, other alleged victims came forward and this led to the man facing 19 charges related to incidents against child victims.
The man was let go from his position when the accusations kept appearing in the local news. The man was recently found not guilty of any of the charges levied against him. The man wanted his job back, but a petition was circulated asking for the town to not rehire him. The town contends he was let go because of restructuring and not because of the criminal charges.
In this case, the man has asked to be reinstated. For some who feel they have been the victim of wrongful termination, seeking a judgment of back or forward pay is possible. Wrongful termination can be difficult to prove in Colorado and elsewhere. However, when an employee feels they have been let go or not rehired due to wrongful termination, that employee may benefit from understanding their rights and what a successful wrongful termination suit may mean.
Source: masslive.com, “Former Stockbridge school employee Scott Muir, acquitted of 19 sex assault charges against children, sues town for wrongful termination“, Jim Russell, May 22, 2014
