Sanford Health pays fines, back wages for labor violation

ST. PAUL — Sanford Health must pay an employee back wages and damages after it cut her hours during her pregnancy and fired her after she asserted her right to 12 weeks parental leave.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry stated in a news release that Sanford willfully violated the Women’s Economic Security Act.

The Act, known as WESA, is designed to protect and promote opportunities for women in the workplace in part through pregnancy and parental accommodations.

"Pregnant employees and employees who are new parents in Minnesota should never be denied basic workplace protections that are designed to balance the needs of employees, their young children and employers," said DLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach.

"DLI strongly encourages Minnesota employers to review their policies, procedures and practices to ensure they are in compliance with WESA."

The agency reached an agreement in which Sanford says it will comply with the Act, pay the employee and pay $40,000 in civil penalties.

Sanford must also send its human resources staff to an annual WESA training for two years, implement system-wide letter templates covering related issues to provide to pregnant and certain new parent patients and provide additional information to expectant patients about their rights to accommodations, leaves of absence and lactation breaks.

The Department of Labor and Industry released its annual report on the Women's Economic Security Act and found that complaints and inquiries are on the rise, with complaints increasing threefold since the last report. Of the 77 complaints filed to the Department in the last reporting period, 73 resulted in violations.