Brainerd Printing Company Sued by MN for Allegedly Failing to Stop Sexual Harassment, Assault

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights filed a lawsuit Thursday in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District Court against Sheridan (formerly known as Bang Printing) for violating Minnesota’s civil rights law.

MDHR found that Sheridan, located in Brainerd, failed to meaningfully stop a supervisor from using his position of power to repeatedly sexually harass and assault two employees. In filing this lawsuit, MDHR says it is seeking structural change so that all employees at Sheridan are provided a work environment that is free from sexual harassment and assault.

The names of the two employees are anonymous to protect this identities. MDHR is requesting that Sheridan pay the two employees for damages.

According to the lawsuit, in June 2020, a Sheridan supervisor began sexually harassing and assaulting two employees. Despite complaints, the lawsuit claims Sheridan failed to initiate an investigation, discipline the supervisor, or put any measures in place to prevent further harassment from occurring.

In 2021, the supervisor was promoted, and after another complaint was given a verbal warning, which failed to stop the harassment. The supervisor was eventually fired in July 2021 after MDHR informed Sheridan that charges of discrimination were filed against the company by two employees and that MDHR would launch a neutral investigation into allegations of a workplace culture that allowed the sexual harassment and assault to occur.

In January 2023, MDHR found Sheridan violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, but attempts to resolve the case with Sheridan were unsuccessful, which is why MDHR filed this lawsuit.