Washington County sexual harassment lawsuit dismissed

A Wright County decide has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Washington County Sheriff’s Workplace deputy who claimed a co-worker sexually harassed her whereas she was working undercover as “bait” with the East Metro Intercourse Trafficking Activity Power.

Wright County District Courtroom Decide Kari Willis final week granted a movement for abstract judgment filed by Washington County, the East Metro Intercourse Trafficking Activity Power and former Washington County Sheriff’s Workplace Sgt. Keith Anderson and dismissed Isabella Curtis’ claims.

Curtis left her job as a deputy in August 2023 and sued the county soon after, claiming in courtroom paperwork that Anderson’s harassment ruined her fame and profession with the county.

The county requested Willis to search out in its favor and not using a trial, arguing that the sheriff’s workplace put a cease to the alleged harassment as soon as it was reported. A listening to on the case was held Jan. 27.

County officers stated Thursday that they have been happy with Willis’ ruling.

“We admire the decide’s well-reasoned and sound choice which displays that she clearly frolicked reviewing the complete file earlier than her,” stated Jessica Schwie, the personal lawyer who represented each the county and Anderson in opposition to the civil claims. “We hope that this choice resolves this matter and brings peace to these concerned.”

‘Crossed skilled boundaries’

Anderson resigned within the midst of a county investigation into his conduct, and he faces an October listening to the place he might lose his law-enforcement license, in accordance with a Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Requirements and Coaching discover filed with the lawsuit.

At an look earlier than the POST Board in August, Anderson “acknowledged that he crossed skilled boundaries” and stated “lots of his feedback might be thought-about inappropriate, however nonetheless denied that he sexually harassed (Curtis) as a result of she didn’t straight report back to him, and he didn’t have the authority to rent or hearth her,” the POST discover states.

The sheriff’s workplace suspended its investigation after Anderson’s resignation, in accordance with the POST discover. It stated he didn’t intend to resume his license.

Curtis continued within the position of a patrol deputy in Washington County till she voluntarily resigned on Aug. 21, 2023, to start working for the FBI. In line with courtroom paperwork, Curtis stated she resigned as a result of she believed Anderson’s alleged harassment ruined her fame and profession at Washington County. She sued Anderson and the county in October 2023 for sexual harassment, looking for compensatory damages in extra of $50,000, in addition to punitive damages and lawyer’s charges.

Decide’s ruling

“As a result of Washington County didn’t take a tangible hostile employment (motion) in opposition to Deputy Curtis, she should display that she was constructively discharged,” Willis wrote in her 17-page ruling. “There may be merely no proof that Deputy Curtis’ working situations have been so insupportable {that a} affordable particular person would have felt compelled to resign. Deputy Curtis remained in the identical place that she was in previous to reporting Sergeant Anderson. She was not demoted, nor did she obtain a pay lower. She is unable to establish one place or alternative she actively pursued for which she was denied.”

Curtis claims “she felt anxious and uncomfortable based mostly on her preconceived notion and assumptions of individuals gossiping about her, (however) she didn’t carry these considerations to any superiors who might have addressed and rectified the state of affairs,” Willis wrote. “Merely put, Deputy Curtis didn’t present Washington County with an inexpensive probability to handle any of her considerations or verify her assumptions.”

Curtis argued that Washington County “didn’t use affordable care” in correcting the sexually-harassing conduct, Wills wrote, as a result of “Anderson was not instantly terminated and as an alternative was capable of retire.”

Washington County, nevertheless, was not required to fireplace Anderson, in accordance with Willis. “As an alternative, the employer should take ‘immediate remedial motion fairly calculated to finish the harassment,’” she wrote in her ruling. “Clearly, Washington County took immediate remedial motion to finish the harassment.”

Anderson was positioned on depart instantly after Curtis reported the harassment, and an investigation was promptly opened, in accordance with Willis’ ruling. “Inside someday of Deputy Curtis’s report, Sergeant Anderson was notified of the allegations and inside 4 days, (an outdoor investigator) interviewed Deputy Curtis for the aim of conducting an inner affairs employment investigation,” she wrote.

“Deputy Curtis continued to interact in banter with Sergeant Anderson for 5 months, and regularly assured him that they have been ‘good’ every time he questioned whether or not he crossed the road or went too far in his communications,” Willis wrote.