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State of Oregon Settles Sex-Harassment Case for $450,000

July 2, 2010

PORTLAND -- The state of Oregon and former agency director John Minnis will pay $450,000 to a woman who had accused Minnis of sexual harassment and disability discrimination, according to a settlement revealed by the state Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). The woman, who worked for Minnis, accused him of sexually harassing her in the workplace and exploiting her alcoholism in attempts to seduce her on business trips to Bend, Welches and San Diego.

Minnis will pay the woman $65,000 under the settlement, which was reached eight months after her allegations forced his resignation as director of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Oregon will pay the remaining $385,000 out of the state's $45 million risk management account, a fund set up to cover the costs of lawsuits.

As a condition of the settlement, the woman resigned her position with DPSST. DPSST, informally known as Oregon's police academy, trains and develops professional standards for police, fire, corrections, parole and probation, and telecommunications personnel. Her attorney, Portland lawyer Dana Sullivan, said her client opted to resign. "She's very thankful that she's now able to put this matter behind her and move forward with her career," Sullivan said. "She's been continuing there as an employee throughout the time this dispute has been pending. As you can imagine, that hasn't been tremendously comfortable."

Minnis' attorney, Karen O'Kasey of Portland, said she had no comment on the settlement. The settlement results from a $2 million job discrimination claim BOLI filed in May on behalf of the woman against Minnis and his former agency. DPSST Director Eriks Gabliks said Friday he is glad the matter has been resolved. Gabliks, who was deputy director under Minnis, was the person to whom the female employee went with her allegations in November. Gabliks promptly reported what she said to the Attorney General's office. "What was most egregious about this situation, in my view, was you had an individual with significant power and authority over a less powerful individual who deliberately manipulated that power and authority to achieve his own ends," Sullivan said. "The power dynamic is what distinguishes the situation from just any typical sexual advance."

 

 

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