Minnesota State Sexual Harassment Training Requirements

State employees and managers are required to complete classes on general workplace discrimination. For more on the required sexual harassment training in Minnesota visit the Government Human Resources Web Page.

The EEOC is the federal governing body that describes and enforces sexual harassment and discrimination laws. Read more at (EEOC Harassment). According to the EEOC sexual harassment and other forms of employment discrimination violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA).

In 2018, the EEOC found that of 756 workplace discrimination charges filed in Minnesota, 25.7% of those charges were related to sexual harassment. These 194 cases constituted 0.8% of the total sexual harassment cases filed in the US in 2018. For more statistics on Minnesota workplace discrimina

Between 2012 and 2017, the state government of Minnesota paid $709,000 in sexual harassment lawsuit settlements. Out of 266 sexual harassment charges, 165 five of the cases were found to be substantiated. 

In 2017, a former employee for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs was paid $150,000 in a sexual harassment settlement. The female employee had reported the sexual harassment and even got a restraining order against the harasser. The employer failed to take actions to protect her and did not enforce the restraining order against her co-worker on the work premises. Because the employer failed to take immediate and reasonable actions in response to the complaint, they were found liable for damages. Read more on the settlement here.

There are a number of steps the EEOC recommends that employers take to reduce their chances of liability for sexual harassment claims.

1. Implementing a strong and well understood sexual harassment policy.
2. Providing a robust sexual harassment training program for training employees and supervisors.
3. Establishing an effective complaint and grievance process, within which the employees do not have to fear retaliation.
4. An employer should act Immediately to investigate any complaint or grievance.
5. The employer should take immediate steps such as disciplinary action to stop harassment.
6. Employees should be encouraged to confront the harasser directly and inform them that the conduct is inappropriate as well as informing management and Human Resources

Sexual Harassment Training Tip: Prevention is the BEST tool.

By ensuring that employees understand and are well trained in workplace sexual harassment policies, employers can greatly reduce their chances of being liable for monetary damages in sexual harassment cases.