Legal Question in Sexual Harassment in Colorado

I am the pastor of a church. A lady asked me for a meeting and then she hugged and tried to kiss me. I ran away. I told my wife and other my staff what was going on so that they could help me on keeping this lady away from me. She began to call me several times a day asking counseling and inviting me to her house when her husband was not there. Several people at church noticed how she chased after me all the time. I quit my full-time pastor job to get away from her. When she found out where I was working, she came to visit me (I have a picture) and I had to ask my boss to get rid of her. When she could not get what she wanted, she accused of having an affair with me. Of course there is no proof of that, and after we invited her and her friend (another member of the church) for a face-off their lie was exposed and they dissapeared. What do I need to sue her for sexual harrasement?


Asked on 7/05/16, 3:40 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Dr Katta Venkata Rama Krishna Drkattavrk

1) This is where the difference between Colorado and Federal law comes in. Under the Colorado Anti Discrimination Act, you can only recover lost wages and reinstatement to your previous job. You cannot receive damages for other harms caused by the harassment. This is unfair because often sexual harassment puts employees under massive stress. They lose sleep, their relationships suffer, and they deserve compensation for that.

2) In federal court, victims of sexual harassment can also recover damages. These can be compensatory (meaning they pay the employee back for what he's lost) or punitive (meaning they punish the employer). These damages aren't unlimited though. For an employer with between 15 and 100 employees, the maximum damages award is $50,000. For an employer with 500 or more employees, the max is $300,000.

3) There is good news on the horizon for Coloradans though. The changes to the Colorado Anti Discrimination Act mentioned above also changes the damages allowed. In January 2015, employees will be entitled to receive compensatory and punitive damages in addition to back wages and reinstatement. The federal damage caps still apply, but it's a big step in the right direction.

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Answered on 7/05/16, 10:15 pm


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