Material omission withers away at good intentions

Actress Reese Witherspoon

As teachers across the country grappled with creating distant learning programs for students pulled away from the classroom because of the COVID-19 pandemic, actress Reese Witherspoon promised free dresses for them from her frilly Draper James clothing line.

What she failed to completely address in her offering, which was posted on social media and garnered the personal information of nearly 1 million hopeful recipients: The “while supplies last” that accounted for only 250 dresses, according to a class-action lawsuit reported by celebrity news site TMZ.com on Tuesday.

Three plaintiffs thus far are fuming over signing up for what they did not realize was just a “lottery” with such a limited number of winners, TMZ reported.

Draper James’ attorney called the complaint, initially filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court but removed last week to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, an “unjust attempt to exploit Draper James’ good intentions to honor the teacher community by gifting hundreds of free dresses. The fact that supplies were limited, such that a free dress could not be provided to every teacher who responded, was disclosed and is no basis for a lawsuit.”

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.