Zumbrota Company Settles Sexual Harassment Case

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Zumbrota, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Zumbrota company has worked out a settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights in a sexual harassment case.

The agency had accused Bruening Rock Products of fostering a culture of degrading women and refusing to address sexual harassment. A news release says the complaint stemmed from an investigation that found three Bruening Rock employees sexually harassed a truck driver on three different occasions in 2018.

The alleged harassment included unwelcome sexual offenses, unwanted touching, and offensive comments. The Human Rights Department investigation also found one incident was witnessed by two other employees who failed to intervene or report it.

The investigation findings stated the company had a sexual harassment policy but it was not enforced. It also found the firm did not take meaningful action to address multiple incidents of sexual harassment over several years.

The settlement requires Bruening Rock to pay the former truck driver for lost wages and damage. The company is also required to take a variety of steps aimed at building a safe workplace that includes mandated anti-harassment training for supervisors, managers, and human resources staff. The Human Rights Department indicated the agency will monitor Bruening Rock for two years to ensure compliance with the settlement.