Washington – Responding in part to events in Denver, new U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy in his first week on the job reminded all employees that sexual harassment is not tolerated.
Moy sent Mint employees a memo emphasizing the zero-tolerance policy, Laura Condeluci, spokeswoman for Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said today.
Moy asked to meet with Allard as a follow-up to questions the lawmaker asked at a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in July. Allard had wanted to know how Moy would address sexual-harassment issues.
“He demonstrated that he is following through on his commitment he made to me in his confirmation hearing to be proactive in addressing the issues of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace,” Allard said today.
In April, the U.S. Mint in Denver agreed to pay out nearly $9 million to settle claims of sexual harassment, retaliation and discrimination. About half of the Mint’s 132 female employees are expected to receive the money.
The women in individual claims said that their managers propositioned them for sex; forced them to endure displays of pornographic posters, sex magazines and e-mailed images of nude women; and retaliated against them for speaking out.
From 1998 to 2003, 102 formal complaints of job discrimination were filed against the Denver Mint, more than three times the number of complaints filed against the larger Philadelphia Mint.
Moy told Allard he is meeting or talking with all his managers about sexual harassment policies. Employee training on the issue now will be repeated once a year.
