(This statement was originally published on July 11, 2025, and was updated on July 25.)
On July 10, Hennepin Healthcare team members spoke at a press conference expressing concerns with Hennepin Healthcare management, workplace culture, and the processes we have in place to address harassment, discrimination and to prevent retaliation against team members who raise complaints. We take these and any allegations of racism, bias, or discrimination seriously and respond accordingly.
An attorney spoke at this press conference on behalf of clients who have raised internal complaints. In this case, Hennepin Healthcare System promptly commenced an independent investigation using an external firm, through collaboration with the Hennepin County Attorney's office. This investigation began well before the date of the press conference at the time when employees raised concerns. This investigation is ongoing, and we cannot comment on the specifics of an active investigation. While it continues, we remain steadfast in our mission as an organization to close racial inequities and to attain a culture of inclusion and belonging that values diverse individuals and perspectives while treating every patient and employee with respect and dignity.
Our policies explicitly prohibit harassment, discrimination, and retaliation against employees who raise issues and we have worked hard to foster collaboration and communication with both union and non-union team members. Over the last several months, in partnership with the unions, we have increased the frequency of meetings with unions in a format where issues like these can be raised and action steps are identified to address them.
We welcome improvements to ensure our teams are empowered and supported in reporting their experiences. To reinforce our deep commitment to being an antiracist organization, our Hennepin Healthcare System Board has asked for an independent, impartial, and comprehensive investigation into allegations of systemic racism within Hennepin Healthcare. This investigation will be conducted by independent investigators and will have the full support and collaboration of our Hennepin Healthcare leadership team.
We will also continue to support a culture reflective of our mission, including providing Human Resources support, a compliance hotline, an event reporting system, and a dedicated email for reporting harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Additionally, we have invested in coaches and clinical consultants who work to deeply embed principles of equity and inclusion into our workplace culture and address barriers that could impact employees' experience and patient outcomes.
Our work in these areas will continue, and we invite our union and non-union team members to use our recurring meetings and other avenues to raise issues of concern so that we can promptly and thoroughly address them.
