Three women and a man have filed legal claims against a chain of vintage clothing stores in a state court in Denver.
The plaintiffs say that the chain is legally responsible for a pattern of assault and harassment at the hands of an individual. The chain has since terminates its relationship with the individual and has publicly stated that it finds the allegations credible.
The man had dozens of complaints related to sexual harassment made against him that spanned over the course of years. While the police are aware of these reports, prosecutors elected not to move forward with charges.
The man who is accused worked as a partner for an enterprise that operated several of the chain’s Colorado franchises. The chain revoked its agreement with this firm enterprise which meant that the local franchises had to shut down.
Getting compensation after sexual harassment can be complicated
There are two legal issues worth noting about this case.
First, even though the authorities have apparently decided not to pursue a criminal case against the perpetrator, this does not mean that the plaintiffs have no case.
The burden of proof in civil cases, that is, cases in which employees can get compensation for sexual harassment, is lower than in a criminal case.
Second, the chain has emphasized that its franchisees are responsible for their own employment issues.
In other words, since the chain only has a contract with the Denver enterprise that allowed the enterprise to use the chain’s name, the chain is not responsible if a leader of the local business behaved illegally.
On the other hand, the plaintiffs say that the chain allowed the man who is accused of harassment to continue his behavior even after the chain knew about it.
Getting justice after a sexual harassment claim can be a complicated process, particularly when there are several people and businesses involved. This is one reason why victims should consider getting help from an experienced attorney.
