Home Depot settles with Minnesota over sexual harassment complaints at Fridley store

Home Depot has agreed to pay $65,000 to a former employee after state investigators concluded the company failed to stop ongoing sexual harassment at its Fridley store.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights found “probable cause” that a female employee was sexually harassed numerous times over three years by three male co-workers.

The human rights department announced a settlement Thursday with Home Depot, requiring the Atlanta-based retail giant to make changes to prevent future sexual harassment and compensate the former worker for lost wages and emotional duress.

“Sexual harassment is a violation of the law and denial of basic human dignity,” Rebecca Lucero, the Human Rights Department’s commissioner, said in a statement. “It harms individuals’ mental health, job performance and well-being.”

Home Depot did not consistently follow its own sexual harassment policies, the state concluded.

In a statement, Home Depot said: “We don’t tolerate harassment in any form and are committed to respect for all people. We settled this matter so we can focus on our business.”

The Human Rights Department investigated and issued conclusions in 745 employment discrimination cases in Minnesota between Jan. 1, 2020, and the beginning of December. Of those cases, 9% were resolved in favor of the complainants.

According to a report from the state’s investigation of Home Depot:

From early 2018 through late 2019, one of the female employee’s co-workers commented on her appearance, ran his hand across her back, attempted to tickle her and touched the side of her breast. She reported the behavior to two assistant managers, but the harassing behavior continued.

The co-worker was eventually fired in October 2019 after sexually harassing at least two other female employees.

In September 2019, a second male co-worker posted allegedly improper social media comments to the female employee, including a picture of two flies atop each other with the words, “need some help sister?” A few days later, that same co-worker asked her if she was watching porn.

She reported this, but no action was taken.

She complained to Home Depot management, which started an investigation. The male worker quickly resigned and Home Depot halted its inquiry.

“However, [Home Depot’s] duty to thoroughly investigate the claims and prevent further incidents of sexual harassment did not end when the alleged harasser resigned,” the Human Rights Department wrote in its probable cause memorandum.