ROSEMOUNT, MN (FOX 9) – A Rosemount auto repair shop will pay a former employee $60,000 after forcing an employee off the job after reporting a manager racially and sexually harassed him.
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) announced Thursday a settlement with Linn Retail Centers Incorporated, owner of Paramount Auto Service in Rosemount, after the company violated Minnesota human rights law.
According to MDHR’s investigation, a Paramount Auto Service manager sexually harassed employees and then used his position of power to keep them from talking about the harassment. And when an employee, who is Latino, reported that the same manager repeatedly called him racial slurs and sexually harassed him, the company refused to take action and instead ignored his complaints. The company forced him out of his job by relocating him to another store, cutting his pay, and assigning him a job that resulted in lower commissions.
“When someone reports that they are being sexually harassed by their supervisor and the supervisor repeatedly calls them racial slurs, a company has an obligation to take the complaint seriously. happened here. When his employee bravely reported the harassment, the company instead made that employee’s life miserable and ultimately fired him from his job,” MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said in a statement. communicated. “This case is a reminder that employers have an obligation to immediately investigate and address any concerns of harassment and failure to do so is a violation of Minnesota civil rights law.”
As a result of this settlement, the company will pay the former employee $60,000; providing training to employees, managers and human resources staff on the importance of creating a welcoming and discrimination-free workplace; update and enforce its policies to ensure the company prohibits retaliation and ensures that no one is forced to move stores if they report discrimination; and open an investigation within 24 hours of receiving a complaint of discrimination.
The MDHR will monitor the company’s compliance with the two-year agreement, the statement said.
Those who have experienced discrimination can contact the MDHR by calling 1-833-454-0148 or submitting this online form.
