WA CEO fined $1.5M for sexually harassing 12 women

WENATCHEE, Wash. - A Washington-based veterans nonprofit and its CEO have been ordered to pay $1.5 million for the "pervasive and ongoing" sexual harassment of 12 women.

A jury found the Veterans Warehouse Thrift Store and Veterans Thrift Store founder and CEO Thelbert "Thad" Lawson Jr. liable for sexually harassing or discriminating against a dozen women who worked or shopped at either thrift store.

The stores are a part of Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid (OVAHA), founded by Lawson.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the harassment included offensive and unwanted touching, sexually charged remarks and inappropriate requests for sex.

The AG's Office said OVAHA and Lawson retaliated against employees who tried to complain.

Lawson is the founder and CEO of OVAHA, and its board of directors consists of Lawson’s family and friends. His wife, Karen Monroe, is the board president. Several employees reported Lawson’s conduct to Monroe, but she either did not believe the employees’ reports or defended Lawson.

In one instance, after Lawson heard one of his employees had consulted with a lawyer about the harassment, he threatened employees at a staff meeting: "Don’t piss me off, I know how to make your lives a living hell."

Lawson also harassed five members of the public — including store volunteers and shoppers — at OVAHA’s Wenatchee and Kennewick stores. In July 2021, a jury found Lawson guilty of one count of assault for sexually grinding his body on a member of the public without her consent.

"The jury determined that Lawson harassed seven thrift store employees, subjecting them to offensive and unwanted touching and regularly commenting on and asking questions about employees’ sex lives. He made inappropriate requests, including asking employees how often they have sex, whether they use sex toys, requesting sexual favors, and asking employees to expose their bodies to him," the AG's Office said.

The suit was filed in February 2022 and on Thursday, the jury awarded $1.45 million in damages to the 12 women, as well as $17,267.50 in back wages to workers. All of the money awarded by the jury will go to the harassment victims.

As a result of the verdict, Ferguson will file a post-trial motion asking the court to prevent Lawson from being in a position to supervise or harass women again in the future, and to award the state its costs and fees resulting from the lawsuit.