But in her lawsuit and in court documents, Alford claimed that a sexual assault by her supervisor came after almost a year of escalating harassment in a workplace "rife with sexual jokes and lewd propositions."

The store's then-general manager, Richard Moore, began by making inappropriate comments, nicknamed her "Trixie" and "Trix," and pinched her, the suit says. It claims that he gave her clothes and chocolates, progressed to groping, and that he sneaked up behind her as she was sitting on the floor of the stockroom and hit her on the head with his penis in the fall of 2006.

On Oct. 12, 2006, the suit alleges, Moore threw Alford to the ground, lifted her shirt and masturbated over her as he held her down. He was arrested later that day and awaits trial in St. Clair County Circuit Court on a charge related to the accusation. His attorney did not respond to a message left Thursday.

He never returned to work. Alford stayed for roughly six more months.

The suit says Alford called a company harassment hotline in May 2006, but an investigator never contacted her. At some point after the call, the suit claims, she was approached by Moore's supervisor, who confronted her in front of Moore about his alleged harassment and warned Moore to "watch his back" because of the complaint.