overtime violations minnesota, whistleblower minnesota, sexual harassment minnesota, retaliation minnesota, age discrimination minnesota, wrongful termination minnesota, class action

Skip to content

Lawsuit claims St. Louis County officials sexually harassed workers for years

By John Myers
Duluth News Tribune

Updated: 05/27/2009 08:43:18 AM CDT
http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_12458026


St. Louis County’s former public relations spokeswoman has served the county with a lawsuit that alleges years of sexual harassment and intimidation of her and other county employees.

Ellen Quinn, who in 2007 filed allegations of sexual harassment against Commissioner Steve Raukar of Hibbing for a one-time incident, claims she was the victim of a years-long string of sexually obnoxious behavior and later intimidation and scorn by several commissioners and other county officials.

“Throughout the 1990s, the plaintiff and several of her female co-workers were routinely subjected to sexist and inappropriate conduct and comments made by various commissioners, administrators, directors and elected county officials who worked within the county systems,” the suit alleges.

The lawsuit claims breach of contract, defamation and emotional distress under state common law and says the county’s actions also violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

The suit also claims that Quinn and others were subjected to “various forms of bizarre treatment and comments” when they tried to raise objections to the “sexist and sexually inappropriate” conduct of male county employees and officials. The suit claims she was repeatedly asked to “go out dancing, drinking and partying” with various county commissioners.

The suit has not yet been filed in state district court. But under Minnesota statutes, any suit served upon the county is considered public information. The News Tribune received a copy of the suit from county officials Tuesday afternoon.

Efforts to reach Quinn for the past several days have been unsuccessful. Joni Thome, Quinn’s Minneapolis attorney, said the county has until June 8 to respond to the allegations.

County officials have named Kevin Gray, county administrator, as the only spokesman on the suit. But Gray said he couldn’t comment “beyond confirming that we have been served with the suit.”

Quinn started working for the county in 1994 and went on full-time leave in April 2008. She eventually lost her job with the county.

Among the specific allegations in the suit, Quinn says:

  • She was sexually harassed by Martin Buscombe, county Management Information Systems director, from 2005 to 2007. Quinn said Buscombe told her he was married and “only interested in sex” and that he continually sent her e-mails with suggestive content. 
  • She was told by several officials, including interim County Administrator and former County Attorney Alan Mitchell, that she had no recourse for sexual harassment against elected officials. Mitchell, between his service as county attorney and being hired as county administrator and Quinn’s boss, defended Raukar when the county considered action against him for her allegations. 
  • Repeats the allegations that Raukar asked to come to her motel room to have sex on a February 2007 out-of-town trip. An independent investigation determined the allegation probably was true, but no action was taken against Raukar. 
  • She “had no choice” but to sign an agreement in August 2007 that allowed her to keep her job for six years if she agreed to drop claims against the county and its employees, including Raukar. 
  • Says she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome after reporting the allegations and claims she became agoraphobic, suicidal and unable to cope with normal daily activities.”Whether she [Quinn] could ever return to that kind of work environment is up to her doctors,” Thome said. “But since the outrageous behavior by the county officials has likely made it impossible for her to go back to work in the same capacity, we’re seeking some sort of compensation for what she has lost in wages and suffered in public humiliation and health. … It’s because of the actions of the commissioners and other county directors that my client is unable to do the job she wanted to do.”Minnesota state law allows both parties in a civil suit to deal with each other without having to file the suit in court. If no resolution is reached, the suit would be filed and Quinn seeks a jury trial on the allegations. The suit seeks in excess of $50,000 in compensatory damages.