Washington — Director Henrietta Holsman Fore has sent a top management team to the United States Mint’s Denver facility to look into allegations that a group of employees there made to a Denver newspaper yesterday. Director Fore is ordering a top–to–bottom review of the workplace. The team will provide her with daily updates as its work progresses.
“I take the type of behavior described in these allegations very seriously,” said Director Fore. “The United States Mint has zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, intimidation and other disruptive behavior in our workplace. To this end, I am launching an immediate plan of action, including a top–to–bottom review of the workplace.”
The action plan includes the following:
* Director Fore sent a letter today to all Mint managers and supervisors, reminding them of the United Mint’s New Era Values, the agency’s strict policy against discrimination and harassment and the requirement for mutual respect in the workplace. The United States Mint’s New Era Values include accountability, leadership, trust/respect/integrity, teamwork and communication.
* The Plant Manager, union representatives, the Denver facility’s acting Equal Employment Opportunity Manager and Denver plant division heads will conduct an immediate walk–through of the facility to check lockers, toolboxes and other areas of the building for any inappropriate posters, graffiti or other material.
* Director Fore is dispatching a team of top managers to the Denver facility, including the Manager of the United States Mint’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and the Associate Director of Manufacturing to listen to employees, assess the workplace environment and conduct additional follow–up.
* Specifically, the Manager of the United States Mint’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity will meet with employees in each division to hear their concerns. The goal is to learn first–hand where concerned employees feel improvements need to be made and report back to Director Fore.
The United States Mint regularly holds employee meetings that reinforce the New Era Values and emphasize the need for respect in the workplace. The Mint has emphasized fair treatment of all employees and has provided multiple, open avenues of communication. The United States Mint is continuing to provide training on gender sensitivity and the prevention of harassment and discrimination to all employees at the Denver facility.