Dear Hunger Mountain Co-op Community,

The incidents of harassment and what has transpired since then are counter to our values as a member-owned cooperative business. We recognize the upheaval these events have caused to our community. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement so justice is served, and we pledge to improve our policies and procedures to make the co-op as safe as possible for all.

The Co-op usually would not comment on details of an investigation or any matter involving team members, but we need to given the damage and the continued swirl of inaccurate information. From our files, which have been shared with law enforcement, we can attest the following to be accurate:

In 2022, we received a single complaint of harassment, not multiple complaints. The investigation of this specific complaint led us to interview multiple employees in approximately three weeks, not months. The interviewees reported harassing comments from a co-worker. From what was shown in the investigation, there was little physical evidence and a complete denial by the alleged perpetrator.

Given our policies and the just cause standard under labor law, management issued the highest discipline short of termination and provided individualized retraining on harassment policies and consequences. Again, this fact contradicts what was reported as the Co-op determining these claims as “unfounded.”

The Co-op was not aware that employees left employment due to these events. All employees receive exit interview forms when leaving their employment at the co-op. There were no forms returned that revealed that they experienced or witnessed any sexual harassment as their reason for leaving.

HR received a second complaint in 2023. We investigated the complaint, found it to have grounds, terminated the individual, and issued a no-trespass order.

We have identified several changes to procedures and will strengthen initial training on what harassment in the workplace is, how to report it, how harassment claims are handled, and the consequences for any harassing behavior. We are working with our staff to solicit feedback and expect to have those in place in the coming weeks.

We are committed to ensuring a safe, trusted, and valuable work environment and community resource for all – which is our daily focus at the Co-op today and going forward.

Respectfully,

Mary Mullally
Interim General Manager
(802) 262-3244
Hunger Mountain Co-op