[St. Paul, MN] The Minnesota Department of Human Rights today announced settlement agreements in two separate cases involving blatant workplace sex discrimination that violated Minnesota’s civil rights law.

“In Minnesota, we know that work should provide for food and warmth in our homes and our communities, not discrimination. And we’ve worked hard to eliminate the notion that certain jobs ought to be performed by a woman or a man. Yet, these two cases demonstrate that there is still work left to do,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “Minnesota’s civil rights laws require workplaces to proactively prevent and address discrimination because both employers and employees are stronger when civil rights laws are followed.”

Lakes Concrete Plus told an employee that driving a concrete truck was not “women’s work” 

After a comprehensive investigation, the Department of Human Rights found Lakes Concrete Plus, located in Bemidji, violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when the company fired a concrete truck driver because she is a woman.

When firing her, Lakes Concrete Plus told her that driving a concrete truck was not “women’s work” and that she should find a job that was “more fitting,” meaning a job fit for a woman.

The Department of Human Rights reached a settlement agreement with the company that requires Lakes Concrete Plus to pay the former employee $45,000 for lost wages and implement changes to create a workplace free from discrimination.

Key Lime Air refused to hire a man as a flight attendant 

Following a thorough investigation, the Department of Human Rights found Key Lime Air, which operates flight services in Thief River Falls, violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when the company refused to hire a qualified job applicant for a flight attendant position because he is a man.

During the investigation, Key Lime Air acknowledged its practice of only hiring women as flight attendants because the company believed women are “better” than men for the position.

Under the settlement agreement reached with the Department of Human Rights, Key Lime Air must pay the former job applicant approximately $45,000 for damages and ensure its workplace policies do not discriminate against job applicants and employees in Minnesota.

About sex stereotyping and discrimination 

Sex stereotypes are assumptions about the kinds of traits, behaviors, or roles that women and men are expected to have. A sex stereotype can result in unlawful sex discrimination through unequal pay, termination, demotion, and harassment.

Approximately 22% of Minnesotans who file charges with the Department of Human Rights allege sex discrimination.   

Minnesota’s civil rights law, the Minnesota Human Rights Act, requires employers to prevent and address sex discrimination so that employees and job applicants can live, work, and be free from discrimination.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the Department of Human Rights by submitting this online form.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is the state’s civil rights enforcement agency and is responsible for enforcing the Minnesota Human Rights Act, one of the strongest state civil rights laws in the country.

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