The City of Minneapolis facilitated more than $500,000 in monetary settlements in 2022 for victims of discrimination. The City investigates discrimination complaints through its Civil Rights Complaint Investigations Division. This is the highest monetary settlement amount in one year (tracked since 1993). These settlements also included nonmonetary terms like policy changes and training to prevent future discrimination.
The City’s Civil Rights Department encourages those who believe they have been discriminated against to file a complaint. Complaints can be made by calling 311, filling out an online form (available in six languages), or in person at the Service Center in the Public Service Building or City Hall, Room 239.
The City’s Civil Rights Department’s Complaint Investigations Division works to prevent and prohibit discrimination in Minneapolis by investigating complaints of discrimination made by members of the public. The division investigates discrimination that occurs within the city limits of Minneapolis in the last year based on a person’s protected class (race, sex, disability, national origin and more) in areas including employment, housing, public accommodation and public services. A full list of covered protected classes and areas where the division can investigate can be found under the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance.
The 2022 settlements came out of cases where the department facilitated mediation before or during the investigation or where Civil Rights found probable cause that discrimination occurred including:
- A transgender person who received a verbal job offer that was revoked shortly after they informed the employer they were transgender and objected to a bathroom use policy as discriminatory.
- A woman in her 60s working at an employee leasing company whose manager subjected her to repeated comments regarding her sex and age and excluded her from work assignments in favor of less experienced male employees. The woman reported her experience and the company failed to act.
- A Black woman with a disability working at a nonprofit who was terminated on the day she was set to return from a medical leave; she had raised concerns about racism in company culture shortly before she needed the medical leave.
- A woman in her 50s working as an executive in food manufacturing, who was excluded from valuable employee perks available to younger, less senior male employees. Her position was eliminated and she was laid off; the company then hired a younger, less experienced male into a similar role.
A new early mediation program schedules all cases for mediation facilitated by one of the City’s in-house, trained mediators directly after a charge of discrimination is filed. Mediators help parties discuss issues and attempt to reach an agreement to settle the case. Early access to mediation services allows some charges to resolve quickly and can help preserve or form open and understanding relationships.
Videos
These videos in four languages describe what is covered under the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance, how to file a complaint and what to expect after filing.
Video 1: What is discrimination under the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance?
Video 2: How do I file a Complaint of Discrimination and what happens after I file?
The website also includes information about discrimination complaints, the process of investigating discrimination charges and mediation.