Office seeking additional victims, witnesses of ongoing harassment by Veterans Warehouse Thrift Store founder
WENATCHEE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a civil rights lawsuit today against a Wenatchee veterans nonprofit and its founder and CEO regarding discrimination and sexual harassment. The nonprofit and CEO discriminated against and harassed at least 12 women who worked at or visited the nonprofit’s two thrift stores, the Veterans Warehouse Thrift Store in Wenatchee, and the Veterans Thrift Store in Kennewick.
The lawsuit, filed in Chelan County Superior Court, asserts that Operation Veterans Assistance & Humanitarian Aid (OVAHA) and its founder and CEO, Thelbert “Thad” Lawson Jr., subjected thrift store employees to pervasive, ongoing sexual harassment, including offensive and unwanted touching, sexually charged remarks and inappropriate requests. When Lawson heard one of his employees had consulted with a lawyer about the harassment, he retaliated against her. He removed her from a desirable position as a cashier, monitored her using store cameras, and isolated her from other employees.
The lawsuit asks the court to permanently prohibit Lawson from working at OVAHA and its stores. Additionally, Ferguson is requesting that Lawson pay damages to the people affected by his unlawful conduct.
Anyone with information about Lawson and OVAHA, including people who saw or experienced any discrimination, including sexual harassment, at the Veterans Warehouse Thrift...
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