DEPARTMENT store worker has been awarded a record £58million after her boss slapped her around the head with his penis in the stockroom. Employee Ashley Alford, in her mid-20s and pictured dressed for a Halloween party, has been handed the largest ever sexual harassment pay out after enduring the abuse at the hands of her ex-boss.
Manager Richard Moore allegedly attacked her in a stockroom, lifting her shirt and masturbating over her while holding her down.
Moore - who is still awaiting trial - would pinch his former employee and made inappropriate comments before the October 2006 attack, it was claimed.
He is also accused of sneaking behind her while she sat on the stockroom floor and hit her on the head with his penis.
Ashley's lawyer David Ratner said: "From what we can tell, this is the absolute largest sex harassment verdict in the country for an individual plaintiff."
Aaron's, a rent-to-buy department store, are to appeal the verdict. Due to a cap in sexual harassment damages the award will already be reduced to around £25million.
The customer services representative claimed the assault came after almost a year of escalating harassment in a work environment "rife with sexual jokes and lewd propositions."
In court documents filed in St. Louis, Missouri, she said her boss sought "sexual favours in return for her continued employment, her ability to leave for lunch or take a longer lunch hour and her ability to take a vacation."
The papers revealed: "For example, Alford testified that Moore gave her unsought gifts for which he demanded 'sucky-sucky.'"
She testified that in September 2006, Mr Moore grabbed her by her ponytail, unzipped his trousers, pulled her head back and hit her in the head with his penis.
The papers continued: "On October 12, 2006, Moore again grabbed Alford, pulled her head against his pants, pulled out his penis and hit her on the head with it."
In a second attack that day, he was said to have held her down, lifted her shirt and masturbated until he ejaculated on her. His DNA was later found on paper towels collected by the police.
The court heard how the employee called an internal harassment hotline in May 2006 to report the alleged abuse but said the complaint was never properly followed up.
She claimed her boss was told to "watch his back" because of the complaint. She also claims that after the confrontation she was denied a promotion for complaining about the alleged assault.
In deciding the damages, jurors were told that the Atlanta-based company - that specialises in rent-to-buy furniture and electronics - was worth £600million and made £72million last year in profit.
They were found liable for negligent supervision, sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Judy Cates, the lawyer who originally filed the suit, said after the decision: "This company has always denied responsibility and continues to deny its responsibility to its workers."
She added the jury: 'Wanted to send a message to Aaron's to change the culture and environment for their employees.'
Chad Strickland, vice president of associate resources at Aaron's said: "Aaron's is extremely disappointed with the jury's verdict and believes that the award does not accurately reflect the evidence that was presented in this case."
Moore is awaiting trial for the attacks.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3631260/Worker-gets-58m-br-after-sex-lawsuit.html
Manager Richard Moore allegedly attacked her in a stockroom, lifting her shirt and masturbating over her while holding her down.
Moore - who is still awaiting trial - would pinch his former employee and made inappropriate comments before the October 2006 attack, it was claimed.
He is also accused of sneaking behind her while she sat on the stockroom floor and hit her on the head with his penis.
Ashley's lawyer David Ratner said: "From what we can tell, this is the absolute largest sex harassment verdict in the country for an individual plaintiff."
Aaron's, a rent-to-buy department store, are to appeal the verdict. Due to a cap in sexual harassment damages the award will already be reduced to around £25million.
The customer services representative claimed the assault came after almost a year of escalating harassment in a work environment "rife with sexual jokes and lewd propositions."
In court documents filed in St. Louis, Missouri, she said her boss sought "sexual favours in return for her continued employment, her ability to leave for lunch or take a longer lunch hour and her ability to take a vacation."
The papers revealed: "For example, Alford testified that Moore gave her unsought gifts for which he demanded 'sucky-sucky.'"
She testified that in September 2006, Mr Moore grabbed her by her ponytail, unzipped his trousers, pulled her head back and hit her in the head with his penis.
The papers continued: "On October 12, 2006, Moore again grabbed Alford, pulled her head against his pants, pulled out his penis and hit her on the head with it."
In a second attack that day, he was said to have held her down, lifted her shirt and masturbated until he ejaculated on her. His DNA was later found on paper towels collected by the police.
The court heard how the employee called an internal harassment hotline in May 2006 to report the alleged abuse but said the complaint was never properly followed up.
She claimed her boss was told to "watch his back" because of the complaint. She also claims that after the confrontation she was denied a promotion for complaining about the alleged assault.
In deciding the damages, jurors were told that the Atlanta-based company - that specialises in rent-to-buy furniture and electronics - was worth £600million and made £72million last year in profit.
They were found liable for negligent supervision, sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Judy Cates, the lawyer who originally filed the suit, said after the decision: "This company has always denied responsibility and continues to deny its responsibility to its workers."
She added the jury: 'Wanted to send a message to Aaron's to change the culture and environment for their employees.'
Chad Strickland, vice president of associate resources at Aaron's said: "Aaron's is extremely disappointed with the jury's verdict and believes that the award does not accurately reflect the evidence that was presented in this case."
Moore is awaiting trial for the attacks.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3631260/Worker-gets-58m-br-after-sex-lawsuit.html
