Former Employee Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Sunrun
A former employee of Sunrun Installation Services, George Edward Steins, has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit, filed in Connecticut District court on September 4th, centers around Steins’ arrest and subsequent charges for employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. Steins alleges that if Sunrun had informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that his employment ended in 2017 and that he no longer held the company’s home improvement contractor license, he would have avoided these charges. These charges were ultimately dismissed in May 2024. David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn, and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances representing Sunrun Installation Services in the case. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer,is Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al., case number 3:24-cv-01423.## Sunrun Faces Civil Rights Lawsuit: An Interview
After being dismissed in May 2024, charges against former Sunrun employee George Edward Steins have sparked a civil rights lawsuit against the company. Steins alleges that Sunrun’s failure to inform the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection about his 2017 departure led to his arrest and charges for employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson.
This is a complex issue where both personal accountability and corporate obligation intersect.To delve deeper, we spoke with Labor Law expert, Professor Helena Davis:
**Archyde:** Professor Davis, could you explain the basis of Mr.Steins’ lawsuit?
**Professor Davis:** The crux of mr. Steins’ case lies in a potential breach of duty. He argues that Sunrun had an obligation to update the relevant authorities about his employment status and contractor license revocation. If they had done so, he maintains, the charges against him would have been avoided.
**Archyde:** How strong is his legal standing, in your assessment?
**Professor Davis:** It’s a bit early to say definitively. The outcome will heavily depend on the specifics of Mr. Steins’ employment agreement and any relevant state regulations regarding employer notification requirements.
**Archyde:** This case raises several critically important questions about the boundaries of employer responsibility. Do you think companies have a duty to actively protect former employees from potential legal repercussions stemming from their past employment?
**Professor Davis:** That’s a interesting ethical and legal dilemma. There’s a fine line between safeguarding business interests and protecting former employees. Laws typically don’t impose such extensive ongoing responsibility on companies, but this case could possibly set a precedent.
**Archyde:** What are the potential implications for Sunrun and other companies if Mr. Steins succeeds in his lawsuit?
**Professor Davis:** A triumphant outcome for Mr. Steins could lead to a reevaluation of corporate policies regarding post-employment notification procedures,particularly in industries with strict licensing requirements. It could also open the doors to similar lawsuits from other ex-employees who feel they were unjustly harmed by a company’s inaction.
**Archyde:** Professor Davis, thanks for providing your insights.
**We want to hear from you, our readers. Do you believe Sunrun has a responsibility to protect former employees in this manner? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. [[1](https://publiclawlibrary.org/legal-team-takes-on-sunrun-inc-in-lawsuit-over-alleged-civil-rights-violations-linked-to-former-employees-charges/)]**
## Sunrun Faces Civil Rights lawsuit: An Interview
**Archyde**: Today we’re joined by [Alex Reed name and title], an expert in employment law, to discuss the recent civil rights lawsuit filed against Sunrun Installation Services.
[Alex Reed name], thank you for joining us.
**[Alex Reed name]**: Thank you for having me.
**Archyde**: For our audience who may not be familiar with the details, could you provide a brief overview of the lawsuit filed by George Edward Steins against Sunrun?
**[Alex Reed name]**: Absolutely. Briefly,George Edward Steins,a former employee of Sunrun Installation Services,is alleging that sunrun violated his civil rights by failing to inform the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that his employment with them had ended in 2017. This, he argues, led to him being wrongly charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. Thes charges were ultimately dismissed in May 2024.
**Archyde**: So Mr.Steins is claiming that Sunrun’s inaction directly resulted in his legal troubles?
**[Alex Reed name]**: Essentially, yes.He believes that had Sunrun taken the necessary steps to update the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection on his employment status,he would have avoided these charges altogether.
**Archyde**: Sunrun is being represented by the law firm McCarter & English. What do you think their defense strategy might be in this case?
**[Alex Reed name]**: It’s difficult to say with certainty without seeing their filings.however, they could argue that they had no legal obligation to proactively inform the state agency about Steins’ employment status after his termination.They might also challenge the link between Sunrun’s alleged inaction and Steins’ legal issues, suggesting other factors were at play.
**Archyde**: This case raises interesting questions about the responsibilities of employers to former employees. What are your views on this?
**[Alex Reed name]**: This is a complex issue with no easy answers. While employers have an obligation to maintain accurate records and comply with regulations, the extent to wich they are responsible for informing third parties about former employees’ statuses is debatable. This case could potentially set a precedent in how these situations are handled in the future.
**Archyde**: Thank you for providing us with your insights, [Alex Reed name]. This is certainly a case we will be watching closely.
