MDHR sues printing company for failure to stop supervisor’s repeated sexual harassment of employees
File picture gavel and guide. (Picture by Wodicka/ullstein bild by way of Getty Photographs) (Getty Photographs)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Division of Human Rights (MDHR) filed a lawsuit Thursday in opposition to a printing firm in Brainerd for allegedly failing to cease a supervisor from sexually assaulting and harassing staff.
The lawsuit claims Sheridan, a printing firm previously often known as Bang Printing, violated the state’s civil rights legal guidelines for failing to guard staff from repeated sexual assault and harassment.
Based on the MDHR, the advances in opposition to two staff began in June 2020 and included “unwelcome sexual advances, undesirable touching and offensive feedback” made by a supervisor.
An worker filed a grievance in opposition to the supervisor, however MDHR stated the corporate did not act or examine the declare, permitting the assaults to proceed. The opposite worker finally stop as a result of the incidents hadn’t stopped, in line with the MDHR press launch.
Sheridan didn’t take motion till after the supervisor was promoted in January 2021, ensuing within the worker submitting a second grievance. Nonetheless, MDHR stated the corporate solely issued a verbal warning, which the supervisor seemingly ignored, as a result of the undesirable advances in opposition to the worker continued, the press launch states.
MDHR launched an investigation into the allegations and knowledgeable the corporate in Might 2021 that each staff filed discrimination fees. The corporate then launched its personal investigation, and the supervisor was fired in July 2021, in line with the division.
The MDHR states Sheridan violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, and after failed makes an attempt to resolve the case, the lawsuit was filed. The division is requesting the corporate pay the 2 staff damages, and guarantee different staff are “supplied a piece atmosphere that’s free from sexual harassment and assault.”
FOX 9 reached out to Sheridan for remark.