Minneapolis residents deserve the right to fair treatment in the workforce, whether they are employed in Minnesota or in other states. This is a basic civil rights tenet. The same is true for people who live and work in any state in the country. Neighboring North Dakota has been experiencing a boom of employment in recent years thanks to the oil industry. But in the midst of the positive side of this boom, there can also be some potential problems.
A woman who worked for a time in an oil field in North Dakota later quit her job after the stress and associated threats she experienced due to workplace discrimination become too much to handle. The woman was originally hired to work in the field as a pump operator but her responsibilities were shifted to an indoor office job that paid less than half of what she was earning in the field. In addition, her desk job pay was found to be lower than that of her male counterparts with equal experience and knowledge, giving rise to concerns about gender discrimination.
The woman was denied the opportunity to resume work in her original position despite her requests because her supervisor felt the conditions were too harsh for her and that it put her in too much danger. After many issues, a complaint was filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the woman had to then survive fears of retaliation.
Employment law in Minnesota is intended to protect workers from employment discrimination. Anyone who believes they have had their employee rights violated may wish to contact an attorney for help.
Source: WinonaDailyNews.com, “North Dakota oil field worker files discrimination lawsuit,” Kevin Burbach, February 5, 2015