Hal Leonard Publishing settles 2007 sexual harassment suit

Hal Leonard Publishing Company has settled a sexual harassment case at their Winona facilities for $150,000.

Nine women were involved in the case at the sheet music publisher, which was founded in Winona, but is now based in Milwaukee. The case was filed in 2007 after an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that women working in the facility were grabbed and touched inappropriately by co-workers. Despite complaints, Hal Leonard management did not correct the behaviors.

In addition to the monetary settlement, Hal Leonard must apologize to the former employee who filed the discrimination charge, conduct annual discrimination trainings and provide the agency with documentation of all sexual harassment complaints for the next three years.

Julie Schmid, acting Minneapolis Area Director of the EEOC, said Hal Leonard cooperated with the agency during the litigation.

"Under the law, individuals have the legal right to work in an environment free of the type of conduct that was occurring by their co-workers in this facility," Schmid said. "This is a successful complaint resolved because we are going to create a culture change in this office, in this facility."

The bulk of the $150,000 settlement will go to the woman who filed the complaint, while the other eight women will split the remainder.

Management at Hal Leonard Publishing Company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.